Ithaca Builds

Mapping, photos and information for Ithaca construction and development projects

Project Updates

Traffic Signals, Signage, Curb Ramps & Marking Upgrades for Five Downtown Intersections

March 21, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The City of Ithaca has released a bid request for the replacement of five traffic signals, including the installation of new mast arm traffic signals and appurtenances, new sidewalk curb ramps and connections to existing sidewalks, intersection pavement milling and resurfacing, and new pavement markings. The bidding has officially opened this week, and bids will be accepted until April 9th, then read aloud at the Board of Public Works Meeting (probably the 14th). Once the contract is awarded, and notice is given to proceed, the full scope of work must be completed within 85 days, so the target completion will probably land in this summer, perhaps July or August.

Images from the plans along with maps embedded below:

Downtown-Intersections-2014

Aurora Street and East State Street Intersection:

 

Aurora-Street-East-State-Street-Intersection

Cayuga Street and West State Street Intersection:

 

Cayuga-Street-West-State-Street-Intersection

North Aurora Street and East Court Street Intersection:

 

North-Aurora-East-Court-Street-Intersection

North Cayuga Street and Court Street Intersection:

 

North-Cayuga-Court-Street-Intersection

North Tioga Street and East Court Street Intersection:

 

North-Tioga-East-Court-Street-Intersection

Planned Parenthood Facade Work and Window Installations

March 20, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The 16,000 square foot Planned Parenthood project on Seneca Street in Ithaca’s West End has been transforming on the exterior at a rapid pace. The fiber cement panel siding has been finished-up on much of the Seneca side, and all of the eastern side within the past two weeks, and windows have been installed along the Seneca side. The brick portions were completed back in early February, and hanging the remaining fiber cement panels will probably go quickly now that the weather is becoming more favorable.

For those interested, the last post contained some information about ground source heat pump systems; one will be installed on this project, as the drilling concluded a couple weeks ago- see the series of tubes sticking out of the ground on the western side (those are the refrigerant loops).

This project is being constructed by LeChase Construction (which now has an office in Ithaca), and was designed by Chiang O’Brien Architects.

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Wegmans: Possible Wine & Liquor Retail Store?

March 18, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Last February’s City of Ithaca Planning & Development Board meeting contained a sketch plan item that seems to confirm Wegmans’ intention to develop the grassy open portion of land to the south end of the parking lot. In the preliminary sketch plan, a new 15,900 square foot building is proposed, with a retail face towards the east end, parking along the east and north, and a loading dock in the west end. The intersection is also showing pedestrian crosswalks, along with a plan to remove pavement along the southwest corner of the lot, replacing with soil.

At first glance, it looks like it could be a retail store for lease, but since Wegmans owns the parcel, and the design is coming directly from Wegmans, it may be a plan for a wine & liquor location. Wegmans is putting a liquor store in Johnson City for an opening this Spring, and they have branded “Wine, Liquor & Beer Stores” in a few other states, but their brand in New York is separate. The Pittsford location is called “Century Liquor and Wines“, but it’s owned and operated by Wegmans, along with several other locations, including an acquisition in Syracuse five years ago.

Wegmans-Site-Plan

Wegmans-Aerial

371 Elmira Road Current Site Photos: Future 4-Story Hotel

March 18, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

I wanted to follow-up with some existing site photos for the future Holiday Inn Express at 371 Elmira Road, so I stopped-by to take a few. If all goes well, I’d expect to see site work beginning this Spring or Summer. The existing 960 square foot former auto-body garage on Spencer Road and the 7,554 square foot one-story commercial office building along Route 13 will be demolished, and the two parcels will be consolidated into one parcel. Vegetation along Spencer Road will be cleared-up, and because of the grade, a retaining wall is being planned along that back end to support the slope soil to make room for the parking lot.
The hotel plans are still slated for a 4-story, 11,769 square foot, 76 room and 76 parking space project, developed by Rudra Management and Rosewood Hotels based out of Cheektowaga, NY (east of Buffalo).

371_Elmira_Road_Ithaca_Hotel_0313146

Final Colored Elevations:
Elmira-Road-371---4-Story-Hotel---A-201---Revised-Rendering---02-21-14

Original Renderings:
Holiday-Inn-Express-Original-1

Site will undergo Parcel consolidation (combining parcels 128.-2-8.11 with 128-2-7.1) and the existing structures will be demolished:
Elmira-Road-371---4-Story-Hotel---Revised-Drawings---02-21-14

Collegetown Terrace Mid-March Project Photos

March 16, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Novarr-Mackesey‘s Collegetown Terrace project is showing good progress on both facades of Building 5 & 6, as work by Welliver is picking-up steam on the exterior for the start of construction season, which will likely coincide with the start for Building 7 along the southern edge of the site. Both buildings have full polypropylene wrap, and the northern facade of Building 5 looks complete along the western end (except the stair tower), and both southern faces of Building 5 & 6 are moving along with what I believe are a combination of fiber cement panels, metal panels, and sections of synthetic stucco. It’s hard to believe, but only 5 months ago, Building 6 looked like this (left), and this end of Building 5 looked like this (right):

Collegetown_Terrace_10202-October-Two

Now in March 2014, we’re coming-up on both Buildings 5 & 6 ready for leasing for the start of Fall semester, which, as noted in Ithacating, means an addition of 167 units (Building 5) and 71 units (Building 6), for a total of 238 units. Building 7 is now planning for 247 units (up from 178), with the appeal before the Board of Zoning Appeals to convert the second parking level to dorm-style units, which will be leased at more affordable rates. The appeal must be sought due to zoning for minimum parking requirements and minimum lot area per number of housing units.

Photos from Friday, March 14th:

Building 5:
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Building 6:
Collegetown_Terrace_Ithaca_03141408

South end of the site, where excavation for Building 7 will begin this year:
Collegetown_Terrace_Ithaca_03141403

North face of Building 5:
Collegetown_Terrace_Ithaca_03141415

Longest Night Solstice Towers March Photo Update

March 13, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The Barradas and Partners, Ciappa & Marinelli Builders Tower/Thing Two on the Longest Night Solstice Towers is nearing full frame-out, as all three levels and exterior sheathing has been completed, and most of the interior is framed, with the stairs to follow. Doors to the outside have been hung on every level, and most of the 12″ x 12″ box windows have been installed. Once the crazy weather subsides, we should be seeing the exterior Tyvek house wrap completed, and the facade going up. Tower One has completed electrical rough-in, so plumbing rough-in will proceed next (domestic piping will be all copper, and heating will be PEX, or cross-linked polyethylene, which has become more popular in the last 10 years), then drywall installation. The buildings will be fully-sprinklered as well, so the main riser will follow along the stair paths, then branch out along floor joist cavity paths.

Last update from back in mid-February here

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Photos from late February to March 13th:

Commons Rebuild Phase Three Begins this Week

March 11, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

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As was announced in the Ithaca Times, the Commons Rebuild Phase Three is a go, with work starting this week. Phase Three of the Commons Rebuild will focus on the demolition of the remaining concrete surfaces, installation of new pavers, and installation of surface amenities (see earlier posts for more detail: Part One, and Part Two here). The Power & Construction Group (out of Scottsville, NY) was awarded the electrical work contract, and will begin work by transitioning to a temporary lighting system, as the current pole lights are removed to prepare the edge strips in front of businesses for demolition. NYSEG will be on site to finish-up a new gas main, and Vacri Construction (out of Binghamton, NY) is back for phase three as the only bidder and recipient of the general contract. The general bid came in at $2 million over-budget, which includes the reductions in three project scope addendums. Some original design items have been removed from the project:

Items that have been removed:
-Entrance Gateways
-Granite Pavers for fill sections
-Water Feature
-Playground

Items still included:
-Bernie Milton Pavilion
-Benches, Planters, Tables & Chairs, Bike Racks, & various standard surface amenities

Common Council approved a resolution at their meeting on February 19th to fund the amount, and the Board of Public Works accepted the contract at their meeting on February 24th.

Addendum Two Material & Finish Changes:
MP101-MP102-Commons-Surfaces

Final Concrete Paver Layout:
MP105-MP105-Commons-Concrete-Pavers

128 West Falls Street Heritage Park Townhouses Project

March 9, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Heritage Builders / Heritage Park Townhomes is proposing to construct a three-building rental project at 128 West Falls Street, at the northern edge of the Fall Creek neighborhood (across the street from McPherson Builders), adjacent to Route 13. The project proposes to subdivide the 128 West Falls Street (16,352 SF) lot into three lots, keep the existing house, and build one house on a 4,054 SF lot, one house on a 4,022 SF lot, and a double-house on the remainder 8,276 SF lot, at a projected cost of $485,000. The anticipated construction schedule is this year, May 2014, going to May 2016.

The Ithaca Journal noted that a petition has circulated in the area to prevent the project from moving forward, and Ron Ronsvalle, the owner of Heritage Park Townhomes, commented on the zoning variance that is required for the project to proceed. Essentially, the required front yard setback of 10′ is not met due to the existing building being too close (5.2′). The lot subdivision triggers a zoning review of all parcels, and since the house is being kept, it falls under that review. The proposed structures meet current zoning requirements.

Heritage Builders has done a few recent rental projects downtown (see Lincoln Street homes), and owns and manages various apartment & townhome buildings, vacation, and commercial properties. In addition to designing this project, Lawrence John Fabbroni of Fabbroni Associates also designed the Lincoln Street buildings.

128-West-Falls-Street---SPR---Site-Plans-and-Elevations---02-25-14

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Google Earth Street View from Route 13 (trees have since been cleared):

128-West-Falls-St

 

Applicant Cover Letter

Site Plan Review Application

Site Plan and Elevations

Full Environmental Assessment Form (FEAF) Part 1

Zoning Appeal Matrix

Amabel Zoning Resolution & Revised Site Plan

March 6, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The Town Board of Ithaca will be deciding on a resolution at their meeting Monday, the 10th to recommend re-zoning for the parcels of New Earth Living‘s proposed Amabel project from Low Density Residential to Medium Density Residential, in order to allow for 31 housing units on the two parcels, 619 Five Mile Drive, and a 3-acre sub-parcel of 617 Five Mile Drive, which was divested by the City of Ithaca back in December.

The project has a revised site plan, showing that most of the 3-acre sub-parcel that was purchased will be kept as a natural area. Most noticeable is the change in the type of development: the previous plans called for rental or condominium shared housing units in five clusters of six or seven households, whereas the revised plans are for a lot subdivision, much like Belle Sherman Cottages, where the common utilities, roadways, and sitework are developed, then individual lots are developed and built as they are sold. This plan shows two pockets of eight lots each, and an L-shaped line of 15 lots on the southern and western borders, with two sections of parking and a shared roadway heading south off Inlet Road, then east.

The project letter states that the change resulted from consultation with their attorney and numerous bankers, and the financial implications of the previous plans could not be supported by the project, which is understandable: building-out the shared housing units, even in phases, would imply the development entity to hold construction debt obligations that may not have been sustainable, given that quick absorption of the housing units providing adequate revenue is not a sure bet (Belle Sherman Cottages, although a lot development, is a good example- it will eventually fill, but it takes time). In addition, shared housing implies an HOA-arrangement (Homeowner’s Association), a legal entity that shared owners pay into in order to maintain the grounds, common areas, etc.- which is commonly cost-shared with the development entity until a certain absorption percentage is achieved. For condominiums, the legal arrangements are even more complicated and costly, although it’s a novel development concept that has become a norm in urban areas, where strong pre-sales can be guaranteed.

Here’s the full resolution with attachments

Amabel-Site-Plan-2-27-14

Amabel-Zoning

Cayuga Place Residences Moving Forward this Year

March 5, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Bloomfield/Schon’s 45-unit Cayuga Place Residences project looks set to break ground this year, as the Ithaca Times has reported that the team has come up with a foundation system addressing the poor soil conditions, and financing for the project has been secured. The land purchase option will be extended by the City and a $10,000 payment by the developer so that the bank financing the project can finalize their review of the Phase 2 Environmental Site Assessment and subsequently provide proof of financing.

The design and engineering team came up with a plan to use “shallow depth augur grouted steel core displacement piles,” probably from IDEAL, a company based out of Rochester, NY that manufactures a system called STELCOR. The drilling auger goes into the soil, creates displacement in the soil, then the reservoir gap is filled with grout, water is poured in for the mixture to cure, then the interior core of the steel auger is filled with grout, and topped-off. The steel auger core stays in the ground as part of the structure of the pile.

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Ideal-Stelcor

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