Ithaca Builds

Mapping, photos and information for Ithaca construction and development projects

TC3 Coltivare Project Photo Update

September 24, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Here are some updated photos for TC3‘s 17,000 square foot Coltivare project in the ground floor of the Cayuga Street Garage downtown. The space will be used as a restaurant and classroom for TC3’s new Farm-to-Bistro Program

As far as I know, it’s still due to open this Fall, and the past few weeks have shown some nice progress: more drywall has been hung, tile floors have been installed in the cooking classrooms, on many of the walls (along with steel sheets and brick veneer), and the hoods and venting have been secured and wrapped on the interior. The exhaust and makeup air ducting is vented out the back, with units located on the garage floor above. Ceiling grids are going in, and there are a bunch of plywood-sheathed ceiling clouds constructed from steel stud frames, now wrapped in a ceiling panel product. Should be a cool interior once it’s all set. Design by Ramsgard Architectural Design, with construction by Turnbull-Wahlert Construction.

Photos from September 1st:

Photos from September 16th:

Photos from September 21st:

Photos from September 24th:

Coltivare - Conditions and Signs - 06-09-14

Magnolia House Final Photos

September 24, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

This $2.7 million project actually finished-up back in June (forgot to update), but I wanted to post some final photos. Tompkins Community Action headed-up this project to produce 14 studio units to rent to women recovering from substance abuse. It was funded by a New York State Homeless Housing and Assistance Program grant. The copper cladding caused some double-takes, but the color has developed into a green patina with treatment and weathering. The architects are from the D.C. area: Travis Price Architects

Klarman Hall September Construction Update

September 24, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The future 33,250 square foot Klarman Hall project being constructed between the wings of Goldwin Smith Hall by Welliver has completed the north and south foundation walls, and in addition to progress on the retaining foundation wall along East Ave, the southern concrete wall has been formed and poured. Because of the steep grade and excavation, concrete trucks park on East Ave and unload concrete into crane buckets that hoist the pours over to each form.

The structure represents Cornell’s first Humanities Building in over 100 years (Goldwin Smith was built in 1892). The design was done by Koetter | Kim & Associates.

Photos from September 7th:

Photos from September 16th:

Photos from September 21st:

Statler Hall Entry Renovation Nearing Completion

September 16, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Cornell’s $2.4 million Statler Hall Entry Renovation project seems to be nearing completion: the exterior limestone veneer facade sections are installed, and the second floor interior ductwork and mechanicals have been wrapped in insulation. Next up are final touches to the exterior- aluminum trim work between the glass curtain wall, roof fascia, stone base sill, bike racks, and the remainder of the interior finishes.

The design is by KSS Architects and M/E Engineering, and the project has been managed in-house by Cornell Facilities Services.
The renovation is intended to match the additions 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 designed both the Beck Center and the Tower Renovation

Photos from September 1st:

Photos from September 7th:

Photos from September 15th:

Before Photo:

Cayuga Place Residences Adds Two More Concrete Decks

September 15, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Downtown Ithaca’s Cayuga Place Residences project shows forward progress on construction in the past two weeks, as two more precast hollow-core concrete decks have been installed for floors two and three. Steel cross-beam assembly is done before each deck is installed, and by the looks of it, the fourth floor is just about ready for its floor.

The seams between each deck plank are covered over with a concrete topping or filler, a process referred to as “leveling and grouting” the plank floor. Often times, a steel mesh of welded wire is installed over top, then a concrete topping mix to finish the surface (depends on the type of floor that has been engineered, and the planks used). On top of that of course, carpet/tile, etc.- finished floor materials go in.

The project is being developed by Bloomfield/Schon + Partners, with construction by Turnbull-Wahlert Construction, both firms out of Cincinnati, Ohio. The building will be 7-stories, 45 apartment units, with a total of 49,244 gross square feet.

Photos from September 7th:

hollow_core_precast_slabs_cross_section_reinforced_concrete_structural_topping_hohldiele_stahlbeton_querschnitt_kanaalplaatvloer_voided_plank_design_detail_construction_drawing

Photos from September 15th:

140 College Ave Expansion Starts Foundation Work

September 13, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Foundation holes have been dug out and forms have been assembled on a portion of the footprint for the 140 College Ave 3,800 square foot, 12-bedroom expansion on the south side of the building. The expansion will feature a windowed hall between the structures to provide visual relief, but the design is intended to maintain historic integrity by matching the Second Empire-Styled building. As with many other projects in Collegetown, the construction may commence due to the Collegetown re-zoning, which eliminated requirements for minimum parking in several zones.

The building is owned and managed by Po Family Realty, and the expansion is designed by Jason Demarest, a local architect.

Thurston Avenue Apartments Final Building Photos

September 6, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The three building, three story, 57 bedroom, 18 unit Thurston Avenue Apartments project in Cornell Heights has been completed for occupancy just in time for the start of the semester. Below are some final photos, and a brief project narrative:

The project site plan was approved by the City of Ithaca Planning Board last June, 2013. The structure foundations were dug back in December, with some foundation work over the winter, and then insulated concrete form (ICF) block foundation walls in February. The unusually prolonged and severe winter prevented a lot of early site work (i.e. underground plumbing), but by March, light wood framing for the three-story structures began (framing by Compass Builders), and showed good progress throughout April and May. Roofing started-up and finished in May, and by June, the Marvin windows had been fully installed. Brick veneer base and stone caps began installation in June, and finished by July. Throughout July and August, the façade Hardie stucco panels, side and window trim, roof fascia, and other exterior building finishes were installed, along with landscaping: the project contains a parking lot with 19 parking spaces, concrete curbing and sidewalks, several stone retaining walls along the sloped hillside facing the Thurston Ave/Highland Ave intersection, and ample trees and shrubs. Some landscaping work still remains around the hillside, but certificates of occupancy have been completed, and folks have moved-in.

The project is owned and developed by RABCO Highland House, the operator/owner of the adjacent apartment building, Highland House. Construction was completed by G.M. Crisalli & Associates out of Syracuse, NY, with design by HOLT Architects, and landscape architecture by Trowbridge Wolf Michaels Landscape Architects.

Klarman Hall August End Photo Update

September 3, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Cornell’s future 33,250 square foot Klarman Hall Project being constructed by Welliver has continued progress on the concrete wall along East Avenue and the south foundation walls. The shoring wall along East Ave (driven into place over the summer) holds the soil back as rebar is assembled, then large steel forms are craned in place and secured, and concrete is poured section-by-section going south to north. It’s hard to make out the status of the north foundation walls, but looking at the schedule, we should see rebar assembly there shortly. The south foundation walls have been completed, and steel erection above these walls should begin soon. Photos from August 20th and September 1st below:

Photos taken August 20th:

Const-Schedule-thru-Sept-2014

Photos taken September 1st:

Design by Koetter | Kim & Associates

Cayuga Place Residences Photo Update

September 1, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The Cayuga Place Residences project has moved forward since the last check-in on August 20th for steel assembly: the second floor hollow core plank has been set in place between all 16 columns, and it looks as if the ends have been filled solid, which produces a higher-strength floor. Steel beams span the length of the third floor, so we should see the next floor set this week or next.

Supporting foundation work began early May, and finished-up later on in June, then block work began late June/early July.

The building will be a 7-story, 45-unit, 49,244 GSF project, being developed by Bloomfield/Schon + Partners, with construction by Turnbull-Wahlert Construction, both firms out of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Thurston Avenue Apartments August 20th Photos

August 23, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

RABCO Highland House‘s 18-unit Thurston Avenue Apartments project looks to be wrapping-up just in time for the start of classes. There’s still a bit of facade work to be completed, but the units look complete from the outside. In the space of six days since last post (August 14th to the 20th, when these photos were taken), the driveway and parking lot has been asphalted and striped, all facade and roof fascia panels have been hung on the corner buildings, and the center building’s street-facing facade has been completed, but the sides are missing a few small sections of stucco panelling, which may be done by the time of writing. The site should be seeded and strawed or turfed any day now. The project got a late start (like many) due to the prolonged and intense winter- photos from March.

The construction was done by GM Crisalli & Associates, and designed by HOLT Architects, with landscape architecture by TWMLA.