Some Ithaca news

[Ex-Ithacan]

Two of the many faces of the Ithaca area. The first is for science geeks:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...607240302/1002

the second is for the hippies:
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps.../60724001/1002

Gotta love the place.

[Ex-Ithacan]

I'm kind of bummed. The developers of the Cayuga Green project have submitted new plans. It looks like they are proceeding with a smaller version of the original project. What was to have been an 8 story building will now be 5 stories. Not the most attractive rascal either. Oh well, I guess it's better than a parking lot. Here's an article with a couple of pics with the new model (click on the pic to enlarge).

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...607260329/1002

[donybrx]

Originally Posted by Ex-Ithacan

I'm kind of bummed. The developers of the Cayuga Green project have submitted new plans. It looks like they are proceeding with a smaller version of the original project. What was to have been an 8 story building will now be 5 stories. Not the most attractive rascal either. Oh well, I guess it's better than a parking lot. Here's an article with a couple of pics with the new model (click on the pic to enlarge).

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...607260329/1002

It's okay. It's bland, quietly bland but that's not terrible...maybe fitting for a quiet area? It'll be fresh..Bummer about lopping off those extra floors though.

In picture 1 of the 7 picture 'gallery' from the article, that woman Mary Tomlan...either she was horrified or had a toothache.....?

Hey it sure beats a WalMart superCenter.....

[Visiteur]

It's a shame, yes, but if it is built, it invites more residents to downtown Ithaca, and serve as a stimulus for further development. It also helps to make the community a little denser. real shame they lowered the number of floors, I would like to see a new attractive midrise in Ithaca before this decade is out.

[Ex-Ithacan]

^ I know I should appreciate any development downtown, and I do. There is one midrise (6 stories) going up now just up the street from the Cayuga Green project. There is also talk of another apartment building going up along Green street also. It is still in the initial stages, but the thought for right now is 85' tall (probably 8 stories). The extra bit of height and the increased density will help the downtown both economically and impression-wise.

here's an article on the apartment building under construction:

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?n...d=216620&rfi=6

[Ex-Ithacan]

Two steps forward, one step back. Life of a development lover in Ithaca.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...607270353/1002

[Ex-Ithacan]

Hey, it's official, Ithaca's hip.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...607280330/1002

[Visiteur]

For a second, I thought that was in the latest trends. I just received a copy of the Cornell Sun that called Ithaca "a Fashion Void".

But here's some of the developments they highlighted in the "new campus constructions" article:

-Additions to Lynah Rink (400 more seats) and the Hoy Parking Garage (new parking level)
-Building a tunnel under Tower Road to connect the Plant Sciences and the new Life Sciences building (est. completion of the 80,000 sq. ft structure: 1/2008)
-new Vet school building (4 floors, 55 million dollars est. completion 9/2007)
-Hans Bethe House and Noyes Recreation Centre, and two more dorm buildings (starting construction in 1/2007)
-proposed: a new building north of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, and a new Physical Sciences building, and an underground addition to the art museum, and a new Architecture hall (Milstein Hall)
-sites being considered fro the 100,000 sq. ft Gates Hall (named after you-know-who after making a large donation)
and i know how much everyone loves renderings, so...


Milstein Hall

Life Sciences Building

[whit_x]

-proposed: a new building north of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, and a new Physical Sciences building, and an underground addition to the art museum, and a new Architecture hall (Milstein Hall)

Having been in town last week, I am assuming the new building north of Martha Van is replacing the one built in the 60's/early 70's that was torn down in the last year or so. Seeing that my grandma used to work in that building, it caught me off guard when it wasn't there anymore.

[Ex-Ithacan]

^^ Thanks for the info and summary Vis. I sometimes forget what happens at Cornell can be counted as happening in Ithaca.

[Visiteur]

And let's not ignore IC...



Ithaca, NY—Ithaca College’s plans to build a new multipurpose indoor Athletics & Events Center have received a considerable boost, with a $9 million gift from the Atlantic Philanthropies and a $1 million gift from the French American Charitable Trust. Caroleen Feeney, a 1986 graduate of Ithaca College and member of its board of trustees, is connected to both philanthropic foundations, which have previously supported the College’s music and gerontology programs. The gift from Atlantic includes a challenge grant of $4 million—Ithaca College must raise an additional $4 million to receive those funds.

Groundbreaking on the building project is targeted for 2007, with an anticipated opening in 2009.

[Ex-Ithacan]

^ Good stuff Vis. I think there are also plans for a new Business school building at IC.

[Ex-Ithacan]

Found something interesting on the net. The apartment building I grew up in is for sale. My folks bought it in the 50s for $16,000 and sold it in the 60s for $22,000. It's a bit pricier now (but looks like crap). We lived on the first floor(in what was a small 2 bedroom apt). Anyway, if you click on the link, go to Full Details at Jim Shreve to see a couple of pics. The first is across the street from the bldg, and the 2nd is looking up the hill from the same spot. Still have quite the fondness in my heart for the old rat-trap.

http://www.trulia.com/property/10177...thaca-NY-14850

[Visiteur]

Um, did the value of that property go up or what? Even with inflation, it would only be about 110k. A good coat of paint or some vinyl siding, and some porch work looks like it would do this building some wonders. So Ex-Ithacan, did you live somewhere else in Ithaca when your family sold this building, or did you move out of Ithaca period?

[Ex-Ithacan]

My folks split up, and my mother, brother and I moved into a grand old home around the corner (which had become a 10 unit apt bldg). Stayed there until I graduated from high school when I left the city.

I think it would take more than paint and siding to get it back in shape. I stopped by a couple of years ago, and the place was a total mess inside. Our apt had been sliced and diced into a 3 bedroom job. Holes in the hallway walls, quite the student ghetto. I was trying to get some owner info so I could buy the wrought iron hand-rail on the front porch. My grandfather (who was a blacksmith) had made it. No luck so far.

[whit_x]

I'm dreading the day that my family will have to sell my grandparents house on South Hill and hope that it doesn't become another student ghetto house like some of the others on their block.

[Visiteur]

"Two steps forward, one step back. Life of a development lover in Ithaca."

Here's two more steps forward. The extra funding for Green Garage passed 7-3.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...608040340/1002

Oh, and Office Depot celebrated its grand opening. Yay for pencil pushers!

Now for the step back-it appears three stores in the Commons area are going out of business.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...608040324/1002

EDIT: And while perusing for Syracuse items, I found this new Church in Ithaca town:
http://www.bardenchurches.com/Ithaca.asp

[Ex-Ithacan]

I tell ya Vis, it's a curse for city/downtown fans. I didn't know about the church, good find. btw, I saw on News10now that the IDA didn't grant the tax breaks the Cayuga Green folks were looking to get. I guess there's still hope though, it just has to go through a public hearing phase (watch the NIMBYs rally against this one).


@ whit - I've heard parts of South Hill are getting student ghetto-ish. Especially around Prospect St.

[whit_x]

Originally Posted by Visiteur

Here's two more steps forward. The extra funding for Green Garage passed 7-3.
http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...608040340/1002

Oh, and Office Depot celebrated its grand opening. Yay for pencil pushers!

Now for the step back-it appears three stores in the Commons area are going out of business.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/apps...608040324/1002

1) The Cayuga Green project has to go back before the public because of the amended plan. Don't worry, the amended plan probably will go through, just that the city has to cover itself legally.

2) About time to see something take the place of the former Office Max on Meadow St.

As far as the openings on the Commons, you're talking about 3 or 4 big holes about to open up there, with an anchor of Center Ithaca, the former Harolds (Night & DAy), and (after the primary ends) the retail part of the former Rothschilds (currently being used for the Tom Suozzi campaign) coming open on that side of the Commons. Not to mention that there still is nothing on the first floor of Cayuga Green. Well, at least there are 2 new bars downtown. (one in the second floor of the former Holleys (Now Trader K's used clothing on the first floor) and Fitzpatricks (in the Seneca Place project).

[Ex-Ithacan]

^ I'm hoping some more restaurants and, in my wildest dreams, a comedy club might open in the downtown area. Doesn't seemas if the Commons can attract any "mainstream" retailers. The thing downtown really needs is a food market of some sort (with a pharmacy included). If all the proposed residential structures are built, there will be hundreds of new residents with no place to shop for groceries.