Ithaca Builds

Mapping, photos and information for Ithaca construction and development projects

Project Updates

Collegetown Terrace Buildings 5 & 6 Progress

December 26, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

Novarr-Mackesey‘s Collegetown Terrace project has made some great progress in the past month with Building 5’s eastern section framed-up an additional three levels and the stair tower to its full height. As noted before, Welliver has now taken the reigns for construction.

Building 6 looks fully-framed, and besides a few sections of sheathing to go in, the moisture barrier wrap has made its way around and facade panels have been installed on the top level and western side. On the north side of Building 5 there’s a crane in place and a large pre-fabricated rectangular steel structure sitting on the ground, probably for the elevated walkway off the glass-enclosed common area. Both Building 5 and Building 6 have temporary heating units and ducts going inside, along with plastic wrap on exposed wall frames to keep the spaces above freezing.

Buildings 5 & 6 Western Faces:
Collegetown_Terrace_122513_205

Building 5:
Collegetown_Terrace_122513_208

Building 5 Northern Face:
Collegetown_Terrace_1225131

Building 6:
Collegetown_Terrace_122513_209

Various:

Thurston Avenue Apartments Movin’ Dirt

December 26, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

The Thurston Avenue Apartments project’s excavation has been well underway, with earth-movers still on site for more. There are several wooden forms for concrete footers down in the pits, and if I’m reading the plans correctly, these are situated for the two future apartment buildings closest to the intersection of Highland and Thurston Ave, or to the left of the future drive entry. The site had quite a steep grade to start, and lots of trees, which have been cleared since late Fall.

Thurston_Ave_Apartments_1225134

Thurston_Ave_Apartments_1225135

Cornell Sesquicentennial Commemorative Grove

December 23, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

Cornell has just proposed a landscaping project for 2015 to celebrate its Sesquicentennial Anniversary (that’s 150 years, Cornell was founded in 1865) on the Arts Quad. The sketch plan proposal (embedded below) by Weiss/Manfredi (see Museum of the Earth and the future Vet School) shows a series of stone benches and surfaces below Central Avenue with lighting above in the treeline, and engravings of significant events in Cornell’s history along the main path going West, and quotes by famous Cornellians on the benches. Looks to be a neat project. As shown in the plans, the intent is to align the Grove with the statue of Ezra Cornell between McGraw and Morrill Halls, and the statue of Andrew D. White in front of Goldwin Smith Hall.

May, 2014 Update: Project cost is estimated at $521,700

Cornell_Sesquicentennial_Grove-2

Cornell_Sesquicentennial_Grove

Ithaca Commons Rebuild Play Structure RFP

December 17, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

Last month, the City of Ithaca requested proposals to design the new future custom play structure for the Commons Rebuild project. Below are the location map documents, and the RFP. The initial design was a proposed model from Sasaki Associates, the design consultants for the Commons Rebuild project. The design proposals would likely be reviewed at a future Planning & Development Meeting.

The proposal calls for play features that exceed ADA requirements- there is a section in the Americans with Disabilities Act that outlines the requirements for these features, which include accessible routes, ground level activities, and transfer stations (there’s a good link here to some short descriptions of each requirement).

Architect Robert Leathers, founder of Playgrounds by Leathers is originally from Ithaca and has practiced here for quite a long time (his son Marc now runs the company). He is quite well-known in the playground design world for his work all over the country and outside with over 3,000 playgrounds designed and built. Their process focuses on bringing-in local residents, and especially, the children to help design each project. I don’t know if his firm has submitted a proposed design, however, it would make for an interesting turn of events.

Ithaca_Commons_Play_Structure_11_07_13-(dragged)-1

Ithaca_Commons_Play_Structure_11_07_13-(dragged)-1

 

Beckenridge Place Updated Photos

December 11, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

The roof fascia has mostly made its way around, and there’s some new material covering-over the steel framing section on the roof; it may be screening for mechanical equipment, possibly makeup air units. There have been bricks removed on either side of each window header along the Seneca Street side, but I’m not sure why. The render (below) shows the architectural shades about 2/3rd of the way up, but perhaps they’ll be installed at the top of each window.

Breckenridge_Place_12112

Breckenridge_Place_1211-11

Breckenridge-Final-Render

Press Bay Alley Garage Door Installations

December 11, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

The garage doors on the Press Bay Alley project are going in this week, so we should expect fully enclosed spaces soon. The excavator was there today to dig-out soil in preparation for the new iron pipe water service to the sprinkler system and water supply. The corner space on Green Street is targeted for a café/espresso bar, but no tenant has yet been announced.

Press_Bay_Alley_12111

Press_Bay_Alley_12113

Cornell’s Statler Hall Renovation

December 10, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

Cornell University’s Statler Hall (School of Hotel Administration) will be undergoing a fitting $2.4 million modification project on the western-side of the building along East Avenue, where the current entrance vestibule will be replaced with a more modern-style entrance, which will match the recent renovations that have been completed on the eastern and southern sides: the Beck Center along the eastern side (Phase One Expansion), and the renovated auditorium tower on the southern side (Phase Two expansion). KSS Architects, the designers on this vestibule project completed both the Beck Center and the Tower Renovation, (the links go to some great pages on their site showcasing both projects). In addition to the vestibule, there will be some new additional floor space created on the second floor. The original Statler Hall was completed in 1949, and has been renovated several times before. There will also be some new landscaping (see north and south plazas in the presentation below) with benches, new pavers, and bike racks.

Statler-Hall-Entry-Renovation-Render

Statler-Entry-Landscaping

 


 

Presentation:

Landscaping Plan:

Statler-Site-Plan

Demolition Elevations:

Statler-Demolitions

Planned Elevations:

Statler-New-Elevations

Full plan docs can be found here.

Planned Parenthood Updated Construction Photos

December 9, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

Here are some updated shots of the 16,000 square foot Planned Parenthood project on Seneca Street between Meadow and Fulton. The Ithaca Times carried a write-up a few weeks ago about the future new building here in Ithaca, and about the programs the organization offers to the public.
Joe Sammons, President of Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger Lakes said that the second story will be housing offices for the education and community programming, and the first story will be devoted to health center operations, but that the building will essentially double the capacity of their current operation here in Ithaca. It will be the first building the organization has built from the ground up.
Joe also said that the building will contain a geothermal heating system, which answers the question of why there was such a big drilling rig on site before the building construction began. The building is estimated to cost $6.12 million, out of the total $8 million investment being made here, in Corning, and Hornell to develop three health centers.
As far as construction, the sheathing has been completed, and the blue coating is probably a water resistive barrier spray that goes on before the facade is installed, which will primarily be a combination of fiber cement panels.

Planned_Parenthood_120801

Planned_Parenthood_120811

Planned_Parenthood_120804

Planned-Parenthood-Facade

Cherry Street Crossfit Renders

December 8, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

Here’s the site render and site plan image for the future 10,368 square-foot Crossfit & Boxing gym at 241 Cherry Street by Mad4Cherry, LLC. The site plans here were done by TG Miller, and the preliminary building plan documents from STREAM Collaborative. The building would be situated between Evaporated Metal Films Corp and e2e Materials in the Cherry Street Industrial Park.

Site Render:

Crossfit-Cherry-Street

Site Plan:

Crossfit-Cherry-Street-Site-Plan

Cayuga Meadows Final Site Plan Review (Conifer Realty)

December 4, 2013 // by Jason Henderson

The Cayuga Meadows project (formerly Conifer West Hill) by Conifer Realty was fully approved by the Town of Ithaca back in 2012, but the parcel needed to be rezoned in order for the development to move forward. The process of rezoning, granting of variances and public works approval have all been completed, and now the Town of Ithaca Planning Board has voted for final site plan approval. The site is across from Museum of the Earth and Cayuga Medical Center.

The plan is for a 19,520 SF footprint three-story building with 68 independent living units for seniors. The proposal sits on a 4.8 acre lot subdivision out of the existing 34.7 acre lot, with a right of way for a new dedicated road off of Harris B. Dates Drive Extension.

The initial announcement was covered in Ithacating back in 2010, when Cornell had suggested partnering with Conifer to develop the site. The original site plan concepts from B.C.’s blog are embedded below. I don’t see any indication that Cornell is still involved, but perhaps again in the future, since the rest of the site is still open for development. The original plan was for senior housing, a hotel school center, and parking for commuters from Trumansburg, but neither of the latter two suggestions have been in the news recently.

Conifer Realty owns and manages Cayuga View Apartments (part of Linderman), Conifer Village at Ithaca, Ellis Hollow Apartments, Linderman Creek Apartments, and The Meadows Townhomes.

Cayuga-Meadows-Shot