Ithaca Builds

Mapping, photos and information for Ithaca construction and development projects

Cayuga Place Residences: Updated Photos for Early August

August 11, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The 7-story, 45-unit, 49,244 GSF Cayuga Place Residences project from Bloomfield/Schon + Partners being constructed by Turnbull-Wahlert Construction out of Cincinnati, Ohio has completed the core section of block walls, and the scaffolding was on its way back down on August 5th (when these were taken) to install steel ledger boards for the floor framing and other prep-framing work before the two stairs and elevator start to be assembled. There’s an additional parallel block wall, which will likely be assembled as steel framing makes its way up each level with framing fastened between the core and block wall. Construction has taken a brisk pace, as the supporting foundation work began early May, and finished-up later on in June, then block work began late June/early July.

Bloomfield/Schon + Partners is also set to take on a large $20-30 million industrial-reuse project in Cincinnati, at the site of the former Peters Cartridge Factory (14-acre, 250,000 square foot). The plan is to clean-up the site, keep the structure, and build-out 100 loft-style apartments.

Downtown Marriott Going For Design Revisions

June 9, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The Downtown Marriott project will be going before the City Planning & Development Board for Design Revisions Review at a special meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, June 10th) at 6pm, and below are the submission documents showing some revised elevations, and the facade materials. The final design submission was posted last year (it’s changed since the initial designs), and here’s the post and set from that time. This set looks the same: 10 stories, 160-room, same massing, but the specific facade materials are being presented; the total development cost was pegged at $32 million. Urgo Hotels and Rimland Equities (owns the parcel and the adjacent Rothschild Building) are developing the project, with design by Cooper Carry.

Cayuga Place Residences Begins Sitework

April 29, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

It looks like the deal for this site has closed, and Bloomfield/Schon + Partner‘s Cayuga Place Residences (Cayuga Green Two) is off to an immediate start, beginning sitework this week. A bulldozer and two excavators are on site, and a construction fence has been put up around the future 45-unit market rate apartment building (latest plans from August here) that will reach seven stories high, with a gross floor space of over 50,000 square feet on a 6,920 square foot base.

New Tenant for Press Bay Alley & Future Mural

April 21, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Amuse Press Bay Alley at the end of Green Street across from Life’s So Sweet will be hosting a new tenant Amuse: Modern Cottage Industry starting July 1st, in addition to Boxy Bikes, which was announced back in February. Amuse will be a gift shop (photos here), and both retailers will be open during Ithaca Festival May 29th-June 1st so you can check them out.

In addition to the added retailer debuting this Summer, the building now has complete metal coping along the roof edge, and a fresh paint coat base in preparation for a talented mural artist to bring this canvas to life.

Commons Rebuild Phase Three Begins this Week

March 11, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

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:

Final Concrete Paver Layout:

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.

Carey Building VI: Ceiling Demo Done, ACM Removal

February 28, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The plaster ceiling demolition has been completed by Compass Builders, and asbestos-containing material (ACM) remediation began earlier this week, so the space is completely closed-off. There’s about 366 linear feet of pipe-wrap and sections of old 9×9 floor tile being removed on the second floor by Sunstream Corp, out of Binghamton, NY. The supply loop for the radiators runs up from the basement, then around the perimeter of the second floor roughly 12-13 feet off the floor, above where the plaster ceiling hung. The pipe was insulated wherever it was not exposed to finished space, so basically above the ceiling, and within exterior wall chases.

The ACM assessment survey was done by Microbac Laboratories out of Cortland, NY, and they stay on-site during the remediation phase to monitor air quality. Here’s the second floor map, indicating materials found in the survey:

John Snyder Architects is currently working on the details for the final incubator design in collaboration with the team from Cornell University. Here’s the demolition plan, showing all the walls that have been removed from the second floor:

Coltivare Site Plan Drawings

February 23, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) is making a bold expansion in downtown with a farm-to-bistro concept, a fitting launch to their Culinary Arts Program (TC3 currently leases space in the Tioga Place Building for their Extension Center). Here are some shots of the site plan review materials, showing the facade plan for the Cayuga Street Garage ground retail space at the corner of Cayuga Street and Clinton Street. The garage parcel is owned by the City of Ithaca, and was leased to the Ithaca Urban Renewal Agency (IURA) in 2003 for a 40 year term. The IURA partnered with the National Development Council to redevelop as a mixed-use parking garage, in order to fulfill parking demand, but also to provide ground level retail and office space. Bloomfield/Schon’s adjacent Cayuga Place Two Project (also Cayuga Place Residences) will be breaking ground this year, as sub-contractors are currently submitting bids. The designs are done by Andrew Ramsgard of Ramsgard Architectural Design, an architect whom has done design work for a host of projects, especially restaurants, including Agava.

Full Site Plan Docs Here

Carey Building V: Plaster Ceiling Demo

February 23, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Throughout past week, Compass Builders have made quick work of the old plaster ceiling demolition, and now that the ceiling is exposed, Sunstream Corp will be commencing remediation on the pipe wrap material starting mid-week. The current piping above the former plaster ceiling provides the supply loop for the radiators, which are returned via separate runs to each unit from below. We found an old heating system drawing from the 1926 installation- the second floor sketch is below.
Once the ceiling was exposed, it confirmed the design intent for the finished space, which would be to leave the concrete ceiling slab, beam and column work exposed in the finished space. One of the more popular renovation (especially office & residential space) trends is to leave old structural elements exposed- the leasing term thrown around is called “brick and beam” space, which implies leaving brick walls, and typically, reinforced concrete columns, beams, and floor slabs exposed. In addition to adding a characteristic style, there are some practical advantages as well: electrical conduit runs and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) ductwork are visible, providing a transparent view of where services lead, and eliminating the additional time, materials, and complexity of working around finished walls or drop ceilings. There’s about 14 feet of headspace on this level, so the high ceilings provide another desirable advantage.

Press Bay Alley: Retailer “Boxy Bikes”

February 19, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

A retailer has been set for one of the Press Bay Alley spaces, and it’s Ithaca’s Boxy Bikes, a company that makes custom electric bicycles. They contain a battery, a motor, and are plugged-in at night to charge. “E-bikes” as they’re called, are generally intended as a biking aid, to help climb hills and steep inclines, or for transporting cargo. A couple articles, one last September and another in 2011 noted that E-Bikes are gaining considerable popularity, especially in Europe, where now in the Netherlands (legitimately described as the Western bike capital of the world), every one in six bikes sold is an E-bike. China is an established exporter, as well as having its own strong E-bike market. High-end finished factory models can be quite expensive, so there’s ample room for customizers and DIY-ers. The move-in for Boxy Bikes should be sometime this Spring.

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