Ithaca Builds

Mapping, photos and information for Ithaca construction and development projects

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.

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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.

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Thurston Ave Apartments Inventory

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140 College Ave Begins Work

August 18, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Demo and excavation work on Po Family Realty’s 12-bedroom 140 College Ave has begun: the exterior exit stairway has been disassembled and taken off-site, and a section of the existing one-story structure beside the porch is being demo’ed to prepare for site work and eventual foundations for a 3,800 square foot 12-bedroom expansion, designed by Architect Jason Demarest. The plan dates back a few years, but only proceeded through site plan review a few months ago due to the Collegetown re-zoning, which allows for no minimum parking requirement in CR-4 zones.

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Earlier in June:

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The Plans:

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CR-4 Lot & Siting Zoning:

Collegetown Form Districts Jan 2014 Draft (dragged)

Thurston Avenue Apartments Wrapping-Up

August 16, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Thurston Ave Apartments InventoryLots of progress at this site since a week ago: landscaping work has begun, rock base for the driveway and parking lot has been spread, the exterior facades are coming along, the sidewalks have been poured along the street, drive lane, and to each building, and pole lamps have been installed for exterior lighting. The project is aimed at student housing, and the leasing sign for the three buildings indicated August start dates before the semester begins, so I’d imagine this weekend and next week is the rush to finish.

Construction by GM Crisalli & Associates, design by HOLT, landscape architecture by TWMLA, and the project is developed and owned by RABCO Highland House, the same company that owns the apartment building next door.

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12-Story Building Proposed for 330 College Ave

July 27, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

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As reported by Ithacating and the Ithaca Voice, Jason Fane, property developer and owner of Ithaca Renting and The Fane Organization presented a sketch plan proposal at the last City of Ithaca Planning Board meeting to build a 12-story building on his parcel at the corner of College Avenue and Dryden Road (former home to the Green Cafe). The plans show a 12-story L-shaped structure with three ground floor retail spaces, a stairwell/elevator core, circulation layout, and apartments adjacent to Collegetown Center, a 6-story mixed-use building owned by Mr. Fane and managed by Ithaca Renting. The plans were done by Architect Jagat P. Sharma. In addition to Ithaca, The Fane Organization owns property in Harlem, NY, and is developing a 47-storey condo tower in Toronto, Chaz Yorkville (latest construction update with photos here).

The current zoning of the parcel is MU-2, which carries a height restriction of 80 feet at 6 stories maximum, so the proposal would need to seek and be approved for a zoning variance to build higher than current zoning allows.

330 College Avenue - Sketch Plan Presentation - 07-22-14

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Thurston Avenue Apartments July Photo Update

July 24, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Thurston Ave Apartments Inventory

RABCO‘s 18-unit, 57-bedroom Thurston Avenue Apartments project is showing completed brick facade work, sitework to prep for a new parking lot and driveway, some landscaping stonework, and the HardieTrim panels and synthetic stucco is coming along on Buildings C & D. The Marvin Integrity windows were installed back in June, and the buildings were fully-framed, wrapped, and roofed throughout the month of May.

The project is being built by G.M. Crisalli & Associates, with design by HOLT Architects, and landscape by TWLA.  Occupancy is expected in August, for students moving-in to begin the Fall semester.

 

July 24th:
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Building C:
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Building D:
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Site Plan below (Building A, the small one in the corner will be a later phase):

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July 2nd:

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7 Ridgewood Road Proposal: April Site Plan Review Meeting

April 22, 2014 // by Jason Henderson

Ithacating picked up this project in the initial planning stages this past December, and throughout the planning stages the project has been re-worked, and has also been the subject of an online petition, and a withdrawn re-zoning proposal that would have eliminated the project altogether.

The revised 105,790 square foot project shows three 3-story buildings (plus underground parking) with a total of 45 units and 114 beds with 57 parking spaces on the 2 1/2 acre parcel. There are also four loading spaces, 36 covered bicycle spaces and 6 uncovered. In the latest site plan, Building One’s footprint has been altered to accommodate the 25′ setback under the R-U zoning. The updated slides were also presented in a public meeting on April 15th to local neighbors, where questions and comments about this project, housing development in Ithaca, zoning, and the Thurston Avenue Apartments project were discussed.

The City of Ithaca Planning & Development Meeting focused on the updated landscaping plans, the green roofs, cladding materials (stone selections, lapboard, fiber cement board) and project considerations included in the Full Environmental Assessment Form (FEAF), which includes exhibit sections on the impact on land, flooding, plants and animals, aesthetic resources/community character, cultural resources, transportation, and human health.

The project is being developed by CA Student Living, LLC (a CA-Ventures project, formerly Campus Acquisitions), and designed by architecture firm Shepley Bulfinch out of Boston, with local design assistance by Trowbridge Wolf Michaels Landscape Architects, Elwyn & Palmer Consulting Engineers, and legal representation by Phillips Lytle LLP out of Rochester.

Project Render:
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Site Plan:
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Photo Simulations of Views from Nearby:
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Zoning Analysis:
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Building One Elevation:
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Floor Plans:
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