Ithaca Builds

Mapping, photos and information for Ithaca construction and development projects

Human Services Building Expansion Plans

May 5, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

In collaboration with LaBella Associates, Tompkins County Facilities Division is planning an expansion and renovation project for the Human Services Building, which houses the Department of Social Services (DSS). LaBella recently setup an Ithaca office located in the Bank Tower Building on the Commons (they’re originally out of Rochester, NY).

The plans were presented to members of the Tompkins County Legislature back on April 2nd, which included project scopes, elevations, floor plans, and projected costs. The expansion will take place so that the Tompkins County Department of Probation and Community Justice can make the move out of the Old Library, so that the property can be re-developed.

The Phase 1 project shows an expanded footprint at the northeast end of the building to include six interview rooms, a classroom space with 48 to 56 seats, and an existing interior renovation to build-out five interview rooms (for a total of 11), a bathroom, and a visitation room. Phase 2 includes a further renovation of the south end of the building, in order to accommodate room for three offices, an interview room, a multipurpose study lounge, classroom, computer workstation area, bathroom, and a secure entry for day reporting.

Human Services Building:

LaBella Project Presentation:

Klarman Hall, Goldwin Smith Hall Photo Update

May 4, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The metal shoring beams along East Ave appear to have been completed since early April, and the slate and metal re-roofing of Goldwin Smith Hall has progressed to the far southern edge. Foundation underpinnings for Goldwin Smith Hall will continue for the rest of this month, then further excavation of the hillside will take place along East Ave to prepare for structural foundation work for the future Klarman Hall.

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Cornell Gates Hall Interior Photos

May 1, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Got a chance to swing into Gates Hall and take some more interior photos since last time, so here are some shots from the hallways, common areas, and a few rooms. Not sure when the steps out front will be completed, but the interior has some nice eye-candy, and a great view of Hoy Field.

Ithacating has a great shot of this project from back in late 2012 when it was still being framed; here’s a shot from April of last year, and here are some photos from July. Definitely an interesting place to walk through:

Trippy Hallways:

Open cell ceiling panels, handy for maintenance:

Common Areas:

I was hoping this would be translucent, but it’s too opaque to see through. This is the glass floor of the cantilever section:

Work Rooms and Labs:

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.

Thurston Ave Apartments Late April Photo Update

April 28, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

RABCO Highland House’s Thurston Avenue Apartments project has continued framing progress, as all three Buildings have topped-out to their final storeys, and Buildings B and C have complete trusses and plywood roofs. Building D is being trussed this week, which will conclude the framing that can be seen from the exterior. The exterior walls have been fully wrapped with Tyvek water barrier wrap, and roofing tiles began install last week.

The general contractor on this project is G.M. Crisalli, with framing by Compass Builders, and design by HOLT Architects.

Photos from April 24th:

Building C:

Building D:

Photos from April 10th:

TC3’s Coltivare Build-Out Begins

April 25, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

TC3’s Farm to Bistro space Coltivare will be big: the plans are to take up the space of the former Finger Lakes Wine Center and the adjacent vacant first floor commercial space, which comprises the rest of the available retail space in the Cayuga Street Parking Garage. The former Wine Center has been demoed-out, along with the partition wall, so beyond the raw concrete ceilings, walls, and existing utility runs, the space is totally bare. The ceiling towards the eastern half is slightly angled due to the slopes of the garage ramps.
The general contractor is Turnbull-Wahlert Construction, based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, and sub-contractors will include several local and regional companies.

CrossFit Pallas Cherry Street Photo Update

April 24, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

The CrossFit Pallas project is moving right along: additional sections of exterior metal siding have been installed, along with the windows, electrical rough-ins, insulation batts in the wall and ceiling cavities, interior vapor barrier, and corrugated sheet metal ceiling.

The project is being constructed by Fingerlakes Construction Co. (Clyde, NY, founded in 1969), which specializes in post frame construction (also referred to as pole building framing), and was acquired by Energy Panel Structures, Inc. last year.

Collegetown Terrace Mid-April Photos

April 22, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

I was invited to take photos on the Collegetown Terrace site last week through Welliver the General Contractor, so here’s a selection of photos from the south side of the site, and a few taken from the north on the 21st. Building 5 and 6 still have sections of fiber cement panels to install (mostly along the north sides), but the southern facades seem complete minus the areas for synthetic stucco, which are applied with a grey base layer, then a tan-colored finish coat.

Concrete forms and rebar rods have been set for the outside stair section at the west end of Building 5, and very large landscaping boulders are being assembled along the hillside just south of the workout facility. Building 5’s eastern stairwell has also been fully-clad in glass panelling. I was mistaken in earlier posts about the timing for Building 7: due to the appeal to reduce planned parking and increase housing units before the City of Ithaca Board of Zoning Appeals, and the fact that the building is still in design phase, the timing for the project will probably fall into next year for starting excavation and sitework.

Buildings 5 then 6 (left to right):

Building 5 south face:

Building 5 north face (on right):

Site Plan:

My thanks to Welliver for the site visit

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.

Cornell Law School Expansion & Renovation Project

April 18, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

This project was out of public view for the majority of it, but I think it’s definitely worth the visit. The barricades have been removed, so I took a few photos. The new wing is underground, and hosts a lobby space, studying areas, and three new classrooms, along with a re-landscaped Purcell courtyard, and a renovated entryway to Myron Taylor Hall. The project started back in the summer of 2012.

There’s still a live camera feed to the project area, and the Law School hosts an information page with design renders and layouts. Birdseye view of the layout is below:

The original announcement indicated that this project is actually the first expansion for about 25 years, since the Jane Foster Library Addition was added in 1987. The feed from the live cam has been condensed into a time-lapse video of the entire duration of the project.

The project was built by Welliver, and designed by Ann Beha, an architect that specializes in new additions that blend with traditional architecture.