© Ithaca Builds, 2024
September 18, 2013 // by Jason Henderson
Our upcoming urban micro-retail project has its floor to deck window in-place on the Green Street side now, and there’s been some work on the back wall patching pre-existing block wall penetrations. There’s a render of this project posted back in May showing the future steel-framed glass panels along the garage bays, and new entry doors to the spaces. Accufab is doing the custom metal framing work, so I have no doubt it will look quite polished when complete.
August 15, 2013 // by Jason Henderson
Blocks have been removed for the full-length window on this side. Steel framing and windows should arrive on site shortly for the installation on each garage bay. Should be a quick and fascinating transformation.
August 8, 2013 // by Jason Henderson
Urban Core’s Press Bay Alley Project has begun, with plans to convert these old Ithaca Journal press bays into micro-retail/arcade spaces. The block knock-out alongside the scaffolding on the Green Street side will feature a top-to-bottom window, and the garage doors will be replaced with steel-framed glass. In the meantime since plans were being drawn, the spaces have hosted the Arcades Project and several other events. It will be interesting to see what retail businesses decide to sprout here, and if other future projects in the area incorporate micro-retailing into their developments.
May 17, 2013 // by Jason Henderson
There’s an Ithaca Times article that describes this project well- the concept is to take these six existing garage enclosures and turn them into small retail spaces. This is sometimes referred to as “Micro-retailing,” a common fixture in many metropolitan areas that have focused a lot of effort on urban infill development. Can’t wait to see who fills these spaces, and I imagine that demand will be relatively strong. There aren’t many other options in Ithaca for retail spaces at this size, and it’s a good location. There’s also a poster hanging-up in the alley indicating that an entertainment venue will be part of this project, in the recently renovated building across from these garages (occupied by Life’s So Sweet and Brightworks Computer Consulting).
May 9, 2013 // by Jason Henderson
Proposed Re-zoning from Planning & Economic Development Committee Meeting on May 8th. Proposal goes before Common Council on June 5th.
Parcels to note: Bottom of State Street we would have a new CBD-100 zone (proposed Hampton Inn project) where a municipal lot and mostly surface level parking currently exists, and a CBD-120 on the Trebloc Building parcel (currently housing the offices of Warren Real Estate and the Park Foundation, whom are moving into Seneca Way once completed). The proposed CBD-140 stretches across the Harold Square project, the Green Street Parking Garage, and most of the Rothschild Building, and also westward across City Hall. The proposed CBD-50 at Buffalo and Tioga Streets is the current First Niagara office (formerly HSBC, First Niagara bought all their upstate branches) and the County offices parking lot. The other CBD-50 is the old County Library.
The CBD-85 stretches across the new re-development by John Guttridge for Life’s So Sweet, the Press Bay Alley and surface level parking for the former Ithaca Journal building. And finally, the CBD-60’s all along the West State Street corridor coincides with the Downtown Ithaca Alliance’s (DIA) recommendation for further infill development along that thoroughfare, and would also entail an expansion of the CBD.
January 13, 2014 // by Jason Henderson
Phase Three (the last phase) of the Commons Rebuild project will start this Spring (bid opening is January 23rd), with the focus on installing the surfaces and amenities for the redesign. The full scope and contract documents run up to the 1,000-page range, so I thought I’d condense a few of the items down with basic explanations on finishes.
To prevent soil erosion and ensure proper drainage, cast iron surface and scupper drains will be put in place, much like the ones that exist now, and current drains will be cleared of any existing debris. The drains are primarily located in the side areas where surface water funnels, since the surface is designed to elevate slightly towards the center, much like a street. Each drain then feeds into the main stormwater sewer via PVC pipe.
The surfaces will mainly comprise of textured and non-textured granite pavers, mortared granite pavers, concrete pavers, and cast in place concrete paving. The granite pavers will be supplied by J.C. Stone (or equivalent- see Englishman’s Bay), and the concrete pavers will be from Hanover Architectural Products (or equivalent- see PlankStone).
Pretty self-explanatory- there are two different sizes, with various locations.
The final lighting will be mostly a combination of lamp post and cable-suspended (the term is “catenary lighting”) Selux Discera 600 LEDs (along the pedestrian way and Bank Alley), Selux Ritorno LED Retrofit Kits (at gateways), BK Lighting “El Dorado” series (at the pavilion and gateways), and “BK Lighting Integral AriStars” (at the pavilion).
Selux Discera 600:
Here are the full documents:
Set Drawings
Set Spec
Soils Report
Contract Part A
Contract Part B
Part Two will contain details on benches, tables, bike racks, plantings, the pavilion, and water features.