An upscale development is planned for the Ithaca area. It will be located across a main road from the successful Eco Village at Ithaca (kind of a green commune deal just outside the city, here's a link:
http://www.ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us/ )
An article referencing the new development:
Zoning shift sought for Carrowmoor development
By Krisy Gashler
Journal Staff
ITHACA — Plans for an environmentally friendly, high-end development across from EcoVillage are moving slowly forward.
Developer John Rancich, the man behind the Linderman Creek apartments and the Enfield wind power idea, has proposed to build a 400-unit clustered development along Route 79 in the Town of Ithaca.
The development requires the town to pass a local law to change the zoning. A similar process was used to create EcoVillage.
Will Burbank, chair of the town's planning committee, said one of the best aspects of the project is its emphasis on environmental conservation.
Steven Bauman, Carrowmoor designer, said the development would include geo-thermal, wind and hydro power and 100 percent rain harvesting. All home or apartment purchases would include an electric scooter or car, with “re-fueling” stations built into the development.
If both Carrowmoor and the Enfield wind farm are approved and built, Rancich and Bauman hope that the entire community can be powered by the windmills less than 10 miles away.
“That was the positive,” Burbank said. “The negative was the scale, the size, and the fact that it was gonna be very, very expensive.”
Bauman said the target price range for most of the housing units is $250 per square foot — roughly $150,000 for a one-bedroom apartment.
Ten percent of the units will be priced mid-range, $140,000 to $220,000, Bauman said.
How to ensure that units remain affordable long term has been a primary point of disagreement between the developers and the town, according to both Bauman and Burbank.
Burbank said he also has concerns about the impact of that much extra density on West Hill.
Based on current zoning, the developers could build approximately 250-360 units in a traditional sub-division, said Jonathan Kanter, director of planning for the town.
“I'm keenly aware that our choice is not between that and doing nothing, but (between) that and another kind of very, very conventional development,” Burbank said. “To my mind, what they're proposing is preferable, but I'm by no means convinced that it's a given that it'll be built. I think there's a lot more work to be done.”
If the development is approved, the earliest that construction could begin would be early 2009, Kanter said.
kgashler@ithacajournal.com
Originally published March 14, 2008
And here's a link for info about the Carrowmoor development (interesting stuff)
http://carrowmoor.com
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