Some Ithaca news

[Ex-Ithacan]

I remember when there was a vehicular bridge at this location. The bridge spans Six Mile Creek and connects South Hill (Ithaca College) with East Hill/Collegetown (Cornell). Hope this happens soon so I can visit and get some pics. From the Ithaca Times:



The view across the Columbia Street pedestrian bridge, which is slated for an overhaul. The project, which is primarily being funded through federal stimulus aid, is being held up by a delayed OK from the state. (Photo by Rachel Philipson)



Ithaca waiting on state go-ahead for pedestrian bridge work

Rob Montana
Managing Editor

The City of Ithaca is ready. The Columbia Street pedestrian bridge is more than ready. All that remains is the state of New York to give the go ahead.

That's when the renovation of the bridge can take place, a project estimated to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.3 million to complete.

"We're kind of in a holding pattern at the moment," said Ithaca Public Works Superintendent Bill Gray. "We sent in the design report to the state, we're just waiting on approvals for it."

The bridge was constructed in the 1970s, Gray said, meaning the deck - or walkway - is now around 40 years old. That's why the renovation project is necessary.

"The deck is concrete and basically is no longer sound," he said. "Too much salt has taken its toll. Like all the cars in New York state, it can only put up with so many winters."

The bulk of the cost -Êaround $1.1 million - will come from federal stimulus funds. The remainder will come from the city and Cornell University.

"We're taking the opportunity to refurbish the bridge using those funds," Gray said. "Cornell is participating as part of their plan to take part in some of the local transportation projects."

While the deck is technically not sound, the bridge remains open, he said.

"The wear and tear has produced one or two holes in the deck that we've filled and patched over," Gray said. "Now we really need to do something more substantial about it."

Though the deck is showing signs of its age, the structure holding it up is safe operating order.

"The substructure and structural parts of it are pretty sound," Gray said. "We'll do some updating, but the real purpose of the project, the biggest thing that needs to be done is the deck.

"We are going to redo the approaches to the bridge," he added. "The small public space at either end of the bridge will get some updating as part of this project."

In addition, the water and sewer main utility lines there will be updated, some new lighting will be installed, and new handrails will be put into place.

The railings have generated additional discussion as a result of conversations the community has been having regarding bridges in the City of Ithaca.

"We've been talking about it as it relates to the current concern for high bridges in the city," Gray said. "We're going to put handrails in like Cornell's Trolley Bridge.

"That handrail is over-height handrail, it's higher than a standard handrail," he added. "It will be similar to what was installed on the Thurston Avenue Bridge."

Gray said Cornell has committed to helping fund transportation projects, somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million earmarked for investment over the next 10 years. This was one he said the institution felt was in line with its plan for assistance. The university will be contributing up to $100,000 in matching funds to ease the city's financial burden for the work.

"This is one of the projects Cornell felt would be beneficial," Gray said, "allowing pedestrians to keep using the bridge to circulate, presumably to and from Cornell and to keep the dependence on vehicles down."

The city has budgeted for its share of the project cost, though that number is still to be determined depending on how the work and materials expenses shake out.

"It depends on how the bids come in," Gray said.

But, that can't move forward until the state gives the city the green light for its design plan.

"What they say will determine the schedule for when the work will be done," Gray said. "We're in a bit of a quandary ourselves."

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Here's an aerial view of the bridge (in the middle). The red roof building on the right use to be the city hospital (I was born there ):

[Ex-Ithacan]

Here's an article about a company which has a noble cause. I hope the move helps Challenge grow and thrive. As a side note, there is now an old building available in downtown Ithaca at the entrance to downtown from the east side. Article from the Ithaca Journal:


Virginia Whitted, of Newfield, assembles boxes at Challenge Friday morning. Among its activities Challenge continues to offer light assembly and packaging services to local businesses from their new location at the South Hill Business Campus. (SIMON WHEELER / Staff Photo)





Challenge makes room to grow
Agency moves to better fit on South Hill
By Liz Lawyer •elawyer@gannett.com • April 25, 2010, 6:55 pm


Patrick McKee can think of a lot of upsides to moving the not-for-profit agency he heads, Challenge, to South Hill -- but there is one disappointing downside.

"We asked the building management to paint our space pink," he joked. "They didn't accommodate us."

Pink walls would have been homage to the pink stucco building overlooking downtown Ithaca's tuning fork, where State Street and Green Street merge, which served as the agency's home since 1972. By leaving the beloved but limiting building, Challenge got a whole lot more.

Still, it was a big move.

"It was such a big change," said Emily Parker, director of development. "We were so entrenched in the location downtown."

The not-for-profit agency helps expand job options for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. The new location in the South Hill Business Campus has 20,000 square feet -- 10,000 less than in the old building -- but the rooms and facilities are more efficient and better suited to their uses, McKee said.

There's enough parking, adequate loading docks and storage space, and the agency's Life Options program has its own homey suite of rooms, with a common area, kitchen, music and art room, computer room, exercise area and senior space.

There's a conference room big enough to hold events, which they did recently, hosting a workshop with the Ithaca College gerontology program on how to serve an aging population -- "We could never have done that in the pink building," Parker said.

Offices are sunny and separate from the noisy Business Services work center, where Challenge clients do various jobs -- shredding documents, building boxes, assembling packages. And, the new place is directly across the road from Ithaca College, where several Challenge clients work running campus dish rooms, and where many volunteers and interns come from.

In contrast, the old building was dark, long outgrown, and in places had an institutional feel. Offices there were scattered, and busy Route 79 made it tricky for the Gadabout van to make stops or for clients to cross the street.

"This space treats clients and staff with a greater level of respect," McKee said. "It's more comfortable and it comes up to the level of professionalism that Challenge has always had."

Marty Gold, director of program development and quality assurance, said the quality of the program space is more than just a comfort thing, like for the Job Club program, where clients receive help with resumes, job searches and interviews.

"It's important because we're taking people without much and we need, in a few weeks, to make them feel good about themselves and their abilities to take that leap into employment," she said. "Having a place that tells you you are of value is critical."

To stay where they were, Challenge would have had to come up with $3 million to $4 million to renovate, he said.

"(The old location) is a really unique building," Gold said. "Someone could do really neat things with it. But we're a non-profit -- if we had a few million dollars we would invest it in programs to create jobs for people."

While staff members have been working out of the new location since January, the agency is having an open house to show off the new digs May 6 starting at 4:30 p.m.

Even though McKee won't be able to show off pink walls, he will be able to point out a picture of the old building hanging in his office.

"You have to remember where you came from," he said.



Info about the South Hill business Park is in post #1195 on page 60 of this thread.


The old building is the "pink" one in the middle of the pic:

[Ex-Ithacan]

Ithaca gets a new Public Radio station (from the Ithaca Times online):


Ithaca getting new public radio station

Luke Z. Fenchel

Ithaca will soon have a unique, distinct presence on the airwaves: its very own public radio station, WITH 90.1 FM, is set to broadcast an entirely new program schedule by late May. The station, which will sound unlike anything currently on the air will feature a broad mix of music and arts programming with a focus on local and regional news. WITH is the result of a partnership between WXXI Public Broadcasting in Rochester and Hobart and William Smith Colleges' radio station WEOS, and thanks to its brand new 1000-watt transmitter, the station's range should span from Geneva to Watkins Glen and all the way to Cortland, and reach a potential listening audience of 180,000.

For more than a decade, if Tompkins County residents wanted to tune into NPR shows like "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered," as well as PRI shows like "This American Life" and APM's "Marketplace," they had two opportunities to do so: WSKG 90.9 FM out of Binghamton, and WEOS 88.1 out of Geneva. WEOS also offers music programming like "Stuck in the Psychedelic Era" and "Metallic Onslaught," the longest-running heavy metal show in New York State, as well as the award-winning interview program "Out of Bounds." WEOS was re-broadcast by a small 245-watt translator owned by Ithaca Community Radio, and the signal was plagued by frequent outages and low-level static.

"Right now we're on a fairly small 250-watt station. It's analog, intermittent and unreliable," Aaron Read, WEOS general manager. "The new signal is going to be a completely new transmitter, a new antenna, and it is going to be HD digital from the start. It has a much bigger broadcast range, which will result in a much more reliable broadcast."

The new venture will also give WITH listeners access to increased local and regional news coverage through WXXI's Center for Public Affairs. While the current staff at WEOS will continue to manage the day-to-day operation of WEOS and provide local news, music and coverage of special events, WITH will be jointly managed with WXXI.

"WITH will not just be a repeat of WEOS," Executive Vice President for WXXI Sue Rogers. "It will be its own independent station. While it might pick up something in common with WEOS, or WXXI, it's important to note that this is a new station."

"The plan is to get more local DJs involved, and through the fact that they are local, they will help serve as a conduit for community concerns, desires and interests," Read added.

The model of WITH appears to be similar to emerging "Triple A" stations that incorporate news and talk into a format generally focused on eclectic music programming. These stations, like Los Angeles' KCRW, Mineapolis' The Current, and greater New York City's WFMU and WFUV, belong to a cohort of public stations around the country has migrated to pop, folk, avant-garde and world music that emphasizes the consistency of commercial radio while maintaining the eclecticism of the free-form college rock radio format.

"We really see the Triple A format growing across the country; this is almost classical music for a younger generation," Rogers noted. "Good music is really rooted in who we are as a people."

One program that's likely to be picked up by WITH is WXXI's "Variety of Folk" and "Open Tunings," a local music program that just last week hosted the Tompkins County group the Aceto Brothers. "When I look at music I am going to see in the region, I look at Ithaca, I look at Geneva, and even Buffalo, so I think of Ithaca as not only a place for great local music and bands, but also a place with great performance venues like Castaways and The State Theatre, and promoters like Dan Smalls bring some great touring talent as well," Rogers noted. "We're hoping WITH will reflect that rich culture ... for example we are looking at plans to do some live broadcasting from the GrassRoots Festival."

An increased local program will inevitably mean that some nationally syndicated programs will not be heard on WITH. "WITH was not meant to be a simulcast of EOS," said Radio Program Manager of WXXI Mike Black, who was station manager of WEOS for 20 years. "It was not meant to simply be a pass-through of national shows."

While that might mean the loss of "Talk of the Nation," and even "Morning Edition," it will also mean the addition of new programming like the brilliant rock and roll talk show "Sound Opinions" and "Mystery Train," as well as continuing broadcast of perennial favorites like WXPN's "World Caf" and "American Roots."

"Radio excels when it's locally focused," Black said. "No matter where you get radio from-through the internet, streaming on the phone, or wherever-for radio to succeed it needs to be targeted to the listener. That's what we plan to do, and that's what WITH hopes to be."

[Ex-Ithacan]

I hope this gets through, and put on a quick track. Big new development in my old hood. From the Ithaca Journal:



These buildings at the intersection of State and Mitchell Streets would be replaced under the proposed plan for the Collegetown Terrace apartments. The project extends along the southwestern side of State Street between Quarry Street and Valentine Place. (SIMON WHEELER / Staff Photo)



Traffic patterns dominate debate on Collegetown Terrace
Planning Board debates adequacy of environmental review
By Krisy Gashler •kgashler@gannett.com • April 27, 2010, 10:35 pm

Questions about traffic and historic resources dominated discussion on the proposed Collegetown Terrace Apartments at Tuesday night's meeting of the city's Planning and Development Board.


Developer John Novarr has submitted a draft environmental impact statement on his proposal, which would tear down as many as 30 buildings in the 16-acre area bounded by State Street, Quarry Street, Valentine Place, and Six Mile Creek and replace them with seven new apartment buildings, doubling the number of rental beds in the area.

Novarr's traffic consultant, Andrew Topp, reported that some intersections near the proposed development are already failing, based on national traffic standards -- the worst is State and Mitchell.

On a scale with the best intersections as A (drivers have to wait 0-10 seconds to turn), and the worst as F (drivers wait a minute or longer), the State-Mitchell intersection ranks E and F, Topp said. Drivers westbound on State back up at the stop sign, and drivers turning right off Mitchell don't trust that State Street drivers will actually yield, causing further backups, he said.

However, if the city installed a traffic light, the intersection could be improved to B and C rankings, he said.

If the city decides it wants a traffic signal there, the question would be who would pay for it, asked planning board member Jill Tripp.

Novarr is willing to work with the city, for example, to provide land to accommodate a turning lane, but "it's not in (his) purview to do work in the street," Novarr consultant Kathryn Wolf said.

Though some nearby intersections are already failing, Novarr's development isn't expected to worsen conditions because 80 to 90 percent of students in the existing apartments walk, bike, take the bus, or use a provided shuttle to get to Cornell, Topp asserted. There are 14,000 vehicles per day that pass State Street, and Collegetown Terrace Apartments is expected to add 100 vehicle trips, he said.

Consultant Kim Michaels asserted that properties can qualify for historic designation only if they're "both significant and retain their integrity." The poor maintenance and "inappropriate" additions to buildings proposed for demolition has compromised their historic merit, she said.

Several nearby permanent residents and planning board members have highlighted 113 and 115 Valentine Place, the Jane A. Delano home, as historically significant because Delano, a Finger Lakes native, founded the American Red Cross nursing corps, among other things.

* The board also voted to grant preliminary site plan approval for a new Olive Garden at 740 S. Meadow St., just across Fairgrounds Memorial Parkway from the almost-completed Panera Bakery building.

Final approval could come by the board's next regular meeting, 6 p.m. May 25.

Here's the link: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...getown+Terrace

[Ex-Ithacan]

Two new stores opening in Ithaca.

Maines - bulk sales (mostly for restaurants)
From the Ithaca Journal:


Cashiers Sinuon Aung, left and Terri Sackett go over procedures as they train Tuesday morning for the opening of the Mainesource Food & Party Warehouse located on Commercial Avenue in southwest Ithaca. The store's grand opening will be Wednesday May 5th. (SIMON WHEELER / Staff Photo)


Maines to open facility in Ithaca
Warehouse division of food distributor offers numerous, and rare, products
By Krisy Gashler •kgashler@gannett.com • April 27, 2010, 7:50 pm

It's hard to imagine anyone being more enthusiastic about an aisle full of number 10 cans than Steve Ross.

Ross, vice president of the MaineSource Food and Party Warehouse division of Maines Paper and Food Service, highlighted the can selection, among other things, during a tour of the almost-completed MaineSource store off Route 13 in Ithaca.

"I challenge you to find anybody in the state of New York who has number 10 cans like we have," he said. "If you want a number 10 can of Grandma's Beans . . . veggies to tomato products to fruits, anything you want. Most people have number 10 cans, you go to a Sam's, they've got like this," he said, indicating the bottom two rows of one six-foot section of aisle space.

"I got this," he said, motioning down a full grocery store aisle.

The Ithaca MaineSource is scheduled to open May 5 in the location of the former Wickes Lumber. Construction began last October and when opened, Ross anticipates the new store will employ 40-50 people.

Ithaca's will be the fifth store in the Johnson City-based food and party warehouse chain. It'll be the first in the chain built to achieve LEED silver building certification, and the first to offer a line of organic produce, Ross said.

They sell crates of lettuce and five-pound tubs of salad dressing to restaurants, as well as single heads of lettuce and 8-ounce bottles of dressing to individuals.

"You know, milk, eggs and butter, you can get anyplace. But you want a five-pound bag of shredded mozzarella? We got it. You want a little bag? We got it," he said. "We can special order just about anything -- pigs for pig roasts, we sell those all the time. Ostrich, you name it."

As the name implies, MaineSource offers food ("and all the stuff that cleans food, clears food") and party supplies, which are organized by color along the back wall ("we assume we're gonna sell a lot of red here").

The five-store food and party warehouse division is one piece of the $3 billion Maines Paper and Food Service Inc. Other divisions supply restaurants like Burger King, Wendy's and Applebee's, and there are divisions for produce delivery and janitorial chemicals.

For more information, go to www.mainesource.net.


Link to article: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...lity+in+Ithaca

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The second store is a waffle shop. It will be interesting to see if this works (Including a Vegan Waffle, so very Ithaca)
Again from the Ithaca Journal:


Waffle Frolic co-owner Julia Pergolini prepares a waffle at her waffle house on the Commons. (Photo provided)


New waffle house offers up late-night munchies
Café is run by two recent IC grads
By Aaron Munzer •Correspondent • April 26, 2010, 8:10 pm

In the 1800s, a waffle frolic was a social gathering much like an ice cream social, where friends got together to make and eat waffles.

Fast forward hundreds of years, and the term is still around, but now Waffle Frolic is the name of the newest food option on the gustatory buffet that is The Commons -- a combination waffle bar and coffee shop that opened for business this month.

"Waffles are simple enough that you can do so much and add so much to them," said 22-year-old Ithaca College graduate Julia Pergolini, who co-owns the shop with Alexis Randall, also a 22-year-old Ithaca College graduate.

The store seeks not only to be a family-friendly dessert option, but also to fill a niche in the late-night munchies scene that the two owners found lacking while in college.

"For students, there's nowhere to go in town (at night) if you're not going to the bars," Pergolini said. "We created a space that we desired when we were in college but didn't have."

To that end, the upstairs of the space, formerly occupied by That Burrito Place and Juna's, is filled with sofas, small tables and chairs, as well as murals by local artists along the walls. The owners also have a book exchange for patrons and offer free wireless Internet with a purchase.

"How much fun is it to give a book away and take another?" said Randall, who hopes that the book exchange will help bring folks in the door and promote a literate, relaxed atmosphere as an alternative to the rowdy bar scene.

But back to the main course -- the waffles. There are three options to choose from, which the two hope will please everyone: classic buttermilk, hemp and buckwheat, and vegan and gluten-free waffles.

Occasionally, Waffle Frolic will offer chicken and waffles, a Southern-style dish, and cornbread waffles with homemade turkey chili. Also offered are espresso, coffee, and other hot and cold beverages.

A single buttermilk waffle costs $3.50 and vegan and hemp buckwheat cost 25 cents extra. The waffles are served with powdered sugar, and local maple syrup and other toppings like fruit and granola are available for an extra fee.

Hours are Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursdays from 9 a.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The store is at 146 E. State St., on The Commons.

Link to article: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...night-munchies

[Ex-Ithacan]

New housing development in suburban Lansing. Only problem I see is that it's near the flight path for the airport (just south on Warren Road a couple of thousand feet).

From the Lansing Star online:




Development Could Bring 76 New Homes to Lansing
by Dan Veaner
Friday, 30 April 2010
A proposal for new housing development nested between Warren and Hillcrest Roads was presented to the Town of Lansing Planning Board for the first time Monday night. Developers showed the board a preliminary plan for a development that could potentially add as many as 76 new homes in the town. 32 are proposed as single family home lots, and 44 town home units are envisioned as part of a walled community that includes ponds and walking spaces and adjoins a federal wetlands area and woods.

"It's in keeping with the character of the neighborhood," says Town Engineering and Planning Coordinator Jeff Overstrom. "You have a lot of apartment complexes, tasteful town homes, and single family homes in the wooded area that is in keeping with the same kind of development that went on in Whispering Pines."

The development is being proposed as a PDA (Planned Development Area) by Cardamone Home Builders, based in Lansing. Overstrom says the firm has built tasteful developments including Whispering Pines, which abuts the new development, and Savannah Park in the Village of Lansing. A PDA is used when a project doesn't fit the zoning for an area, but might enhance the character of the community within strictly regulated conditions recommended by the Planning Board, and ultimately approved by the Town Board.

The development encompasses about 60 acres of wooded land. Overstrom says that the developer intends to keep as much of that as possible. Roadways that will eventually be town roads will connect Hillcrest and Warren Roads on the south of the development. Two north-south roads end in cul-de-sacs to accommodate most of the stand-alone homes. On the north-eastern side a walled community of townhouses is proposed around a circular private road. A commons in the center features a decorative pond that will also serve as one of three proposed storm water management ponds. Stand-alone home lots will range between about 33,000 square feet and 54,000 square feet.

Overstom notes that the proposed level of density will be possible because the property is part of an area with access to all public utilities. That will include sewer once the Warren Road sewer project is completed. That project is in the process of going out to bid, and should be completed before this development needs access to it.

Neighbors had a chance to weigh in at Monday's meeting, after which Overstrom and the developer's engineer answered questions for the Planning Board. Concerns about density and storm water were discussed. Some asked why town homes are being allowed when that area isn't zoned for them.

"We explained it's in the character of the neighborhood, and provides density and that kind of housing that seems to be selling," Overstrom says. "That's what the developer is proposing. The density isn't much more than it would be for single family homes. Just a few more units."

The Planning Board asked for some modifications and additional information. Going forward they will work with the developer to shape the final plan before asking for Town Board approval and construction can begin.

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Here's the link: http://www.lansingstar.com/content/v...#ixzz0mydeeCRU

[Ex-Ithacan]

Another baby step for Ithaca's Hi-tech sector. Hope the city gets more of these clean jobs. Maybe the Albany area can spare a few.
From the Ithaca Journal:


From left, Jonathan Greene, the chief executive officer of battery maker Widetronix, listens Monday morning to Congressman Maurice Hinchey, D-22nd Dist. along with Donald M. Tennant, the interim director of the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility as Hinchey describes importance of Cornell to the local economy after he announced $2.2 million in federal grants for expansion at Widetronix. (SIMON WHEELER / Staff Photo)




Defense Department invests in Ithaca battery-maker
Cornell spinoff developing long-life specialized batteries
By Stacey Shackford •sshackford@gannett.com • May 3, 2010, 9:15 pm

The U.S. Department of Defense has its eye on Ithaca -- in hopes that groundbreaking battery technology being developed here could help boost national security.

It is investing $1 million in Ithaca-based company Widetronix to support the production of tiny self-charging batteries that can last anywhere from 25 days to 25 years.

Earlier investment from the Navy helped the Cornell University spinoff company develop silicon semiconductor materials upon which to build the tiny batteries, and an additional $1.2 million from The Solar Energy Consortium will enable the small startup to double its staff and expand its facilities at the South Hill Business Campus.

Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-22nd Dist., who helped establish the solar energy consortium in 2007, was at the site Monday to announce the funding.

He praised the ingenuity and initiative of Widetronix CEO Jonathan Greene and Michael Spencer, director of Cornell's Wide Bandgap Laboratory who founded the company in 2003, and he said their work could help make the area a hub for high-tech energy development.

Hinchey had visited the complex last year to make a similar announcement for $8 million in funding for solar energy innovators Primet Inc. and helped secure $17.5 million for Cornell's Energy Materials Center.

"This battery technology has the potential to be revolutionary," Hinchey said. "It's the perfect example of how federal efforts can drive partnerships between nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and private-sector companies to spur innovation and economic development."

Widetronix's batteries are betavoltaics, which generate electrical current by using energy from radioactive isotopes that emit electrons. They are particularly well-suited to low-power electrical applications where long life of the energy source is needed, such as implantable medical devices or military and space applications.

Greene said early prototypes of the technology are being circulated and tested in several industries.

The hope is that other companies will find ways to incorporate the batteries into their electronic devices, which will eventually lead to mass production of the technology as commercial products.

Until then, the $2.2 million investment will enable the company to go from creating a handful of prototypes to hundreds. Greene said he anticipates hiring five full-time staff in the near term and 25 more over the next five years.


Here's a lnk: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...-battery-maker

[Ex-Ithacan]

No real surprise here. Article from the Ithaca Journal:


Cornell University senior Duane Wardally, left, leads a tour of prospective students and their parents around Cornell's campus Thursday afternoon. Wardally, a government and international relations major, is a native of Grenada and grew up in France, Peru and Elmont, Long Island. He considers himself an international student at Cornell. (SIMON WHEELER/Journal Staff)




Cornell, Ithaca College are the region's top tourist attractions
Natural sites rank second
By Stacey Shackford •sshackford@gannett.com • May 4, 2010, 7:20 pm

The Ithaca area's top visitor draws are not its dramatic gorges or wineries, but rather the two institutions perched atop its hills.

A year-long study into the demographics, motivations and spending habits of Tompkins County visitors found that 47 percent were attracted by Cornell University or Ithaca College, making higher education the top tourist attraction.

Once here, however, the area's natural beauty, businesses and friendly residents are doing their bit to make their stays worthwhile, with 88 percent of those polled saying they were very satisfied with their visits and 69 percent saying they would definitely return within five years.

Unsurprisingly, Ithaca's famous parks, gorges and waterfalls were the second-biggest draw, with 44 percent of visitors reporting them as a main motivation for coming here. Ithaca Commons and local restaurants also scored highly, at 35 percent.

Cayuga Lake was a major appeal to 26 percent of visitors, while wineries and cultural pursuits received top rankings for less than 20 percent.

A majority of visitors were also highly educated and well-paid -- 41 percent had a graduate degree and 42 percent had household incomes of $100,000 or more -- and they seemed happy to share some of that wealth while here.

The average spent per overnight visitor was $265, with $86 going toward food and $59 on shopping, the study found. Even those who were in town to visit family and friends spent on average $172 each.

In all, it is estimated the county's 843,000 visitors in 2009 spent approximately $156 million, and generated tax revenue of $597 per household.

Commissioned by the Tompkins County Strategic Tourism Planning Board using $60,000 of hotel room tax revenue, nearly 2,000 people were interviewed for the study, which was conducted by Chmura Economics & Analytics beginning in the fall of 2008.

The Virginia firm used a combination of street interviews, student polls, household and innkeeper surveys, proprietary lodging data and public economic statistics to compile the 135-page report, which is the first detailed look at Tompkins County visitors since 2002.

Fred Bonn, director of the Ithaca/Tompkins Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the information will be invaluable when developing future marketing strategies and honing existing ones to better target newly identified key demographic groups.

It could also benefit local business owners, many of whom gathered at the Holiday Inn in Ithaca on Tuesday to hear the results.

"I think what we have here is critical information that we have sorely needed for many years and will help people make crucial business decisions," Bonn said.

He said he was most surprised by the importance visitors placed on dining and restaurants, and identified it as an example of an area which should be further explored and developed.


Here's the link: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...st-attractions

[Ex-Ithacan]

Pretty good video about downtown (short):

• Video Link

[Ex-Ithacan]

Another new source's take on the tourist survey from post 1208. From the Lansing Star online:



Tompkins Tracks Tourism
by Dan Veaner
Friday, 07 May 2010
Are you a college-educated tourist between the ages of 25 and 54, from the Northeast, planning a vacation in a hotel or bed & breakfast, with an income of $50,000 or more, with an interest in Cornell, and who likes hiking the gorges and eating fine foods? If so, you might be the perfect target for Tompkins County tourism businesses' marketing campaigns. Business people gathered Tuesday at the Ithaca Holiday Inn Tuesday for the release of a new study that will help them target new business.

"What we have here is critical information that was sorely needed for many, many years," said Tompkins County Convention And Visitors Bureau Director Fred Bonn. "It allows people to make the best business decisions possible. Many of our partners here are looking at new projects, new expansions of existing properties, perhaps a new restaurant. This information can be best utilized in the development of those business plans."

75% of visitors come to Tompkins County for leisure purposes, and 47% come for a university or college related purpose. About 9% mix business and pleasure. The top draws for tourists are the gorges and state parks, downtown Ithaca, and the diverse restaurants the county has to offer. While different kinds of travelers preferred different destinations and activities, they all gravitate toward a common one.

Greg Chmura"One thing was not different," said Chmura Economics & Analytics' Greg Chmura. "That was the likelihood of visiting the Commons. So the commons, in a sense, is aptly named, because it is as likely to be visited by a general traveler as someone who is a university traveler."

That prompted some discussion about how the data should be interpreted. With stores on the Commons struggling, some wondered whether tourists are only interested in the Commons for its eateries. But others saw the information as an opportunity to reach visitors who may come to eat, but then find other shopping opportunities.

College-related travelers are more likely to stay with family or friends who work or attend Cornell or Ithaca College. The study also showed that 54% of visitors to TOmpkins County plan their trips on the Internet, with visitithaca.com, cornell.edu, and ithaca.edu the top three Web sites they use. Printed materials only accounted for 8% by comparison. The study tracked the number of visitors over the course of 2009, as well as activity on visitithaca.com and hotel volume. The three were roughly aligned, with the peak season in July and August.

An average of 91% of visitors drive to Ithaca, with about 10% coming by air. 22% of visitors include Tompkins County with other destinations. The top destinations that are combined with Ithaca include Syracuse, New York City, Niagara Falls, Boston, Rochester, and Watkins Glen. The average visiting group includes about three people. Each traveler averages about $265 over the course of their trip. The highest spending is on food with an average of $92, followed by lodging, and shopping. They only spend an average of $6 per trip on entertainment. Cornell, the Commons, and local parks, waterfalls, and gorges are the top attractions, each attracting about 40% of visitors. 17% visited wineries, and 12% went to Ithaca College or Cayuga Lake.

Remarkably, 99% of visitors left feeling satisfied with their trip. 88% reported they were 'very satisfied, with another 11% 'somewhat satisfied.'

"In some cases it's very affirming," Bonn said. "We know that we've got our core geographic target market. It is going to allow our office to refine our strategies. We'll reach a more targeted audience. When we see an audience in an age category and an income level that is responding well to the Ithaca/Tompkins County product, that's where we know we can find additional customers just like them, and we stand a better likelihood of earning that customer's business than if we try to approach a new category."

The study was driven by the Client Committee of the Strategic Tourism Planning Board, which contracted the services of Chmura Economics & Analytics, a Virginia firm that specializes in customized studies, among other services. Chmura presented the key results Tuesday, and business people got to take copies of the study with them.

Bonn says that the study is only the first step in tracking tourism here. He said the Convention And Visitors Bureau will use the data to target markets and demographics most likely to visit the area.

"The important thing is that we have the baseline to operate from," he said. "Then we have the commitment to revisit this study every three to five years. Over the years economic activity information is going to be more valuable in future years. The information that will assist us in our marketing strategy that will drive that increase in economic activity is most valuable right now. In order to achieve maximum value and return on this, it will require additional studies."




Read more: http://www.lansingstar.com/content/v...#ixzz0nd4v2q2U

[Ex-Ithacan]

The results for the Central NY Emerging Business competition (mentioned in post 1200). From YNN news TV:

http://ithaca-cortland.ynn.com/conte...ner-announced/

[Ex-Ithacan]

A news blurb regarding a new hotel in downtown Ithaca:


• Video Link

[Ex-Ithacan]

Hope this happens. And maybe Ithaca will end up with a nice centralized midrise in downtown.
From the Ithaca Journal


Ithaca, Tompkins begin talks on sharing a building
By Stacey Shackford •sshackford@gannett.com • May 13, 2010, 8:15 pm

ITHACA -- They haven't always seen eye to eye, but one day city and county officials could be exchanging glances across the hall or hashing out issues over the water cooler.

Tompkins County legislators have begun very preliminary discussions about the possibility of a joint administration facility with the City of Ithaca.

The idea was floated on Thursday by Gary Ferguson, director of the Downtown Ithaca Business Alliance, at a meeting of the legislature's Capital Plan Review committee.

He said the idea was first suggested by a member of the public during a series of sessions held to solicit feedback for his group's Downtown Ithaca 2020 Strategic Plan, a draft of which was released in February.

The idea had appeal to legislators, who are being nudged out of the county courthouse by the New York State Courts and are trying to figure out what to do with other county facilities, many of which are either cramped or crumbling, like the former library on North Cayuga Street.

Ithaca planning director JoAnn Cornish said the city might also be interested, as it is itching to relocate from its current city hall but cannot afford to do so on its own.

She said it has even put off making capital improvements on the nearby Green Street garage in case the space is needed for expansion. More recently, the city has been approached by developers interested in turning the city hall into housing.

Ferguson said the move could also benefit the public, who would gain better access to government and potential taxpayer savings realized through efficiencies like shared security, IT staff and janitorial services.

County planning commissioner Ed Marx said he has long felt there is an acute need for public meeting spaces in Ithaca.

"For a community that has as much public involvement in its government as we do, we have some of the poorest places for that to occur," Marx said.

Legislator Mike Lane, D-Dryden, cautioned against racing ahead without considering potential clashes between the two municipalities.

But county administrator Joe Mareane said the potential for savings might make it worthwhile to at least run some initial calculations, and chair Martha Robertson, D-Dryden, seemed to agree.

"A couple things really conspire to say it's really time to address this issue, and I think getting together with the city to explore this is a good place to start," Robertson said.


Here's the link: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...ing+a+building

[Ex-Ithacan]

Ambitious proposal just ourside the city limits. Cornell is involved, so there's a good chance this will happen. Traffic will be the main obstacle. From the Ithaca Journal:

main link: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...e+on+West+Hill


Cornell proposes senior center, hotel school institute on West Hill
By Krisy Gashler •kgashler@gannett.com • May 14, 2010, 10:55 am

Cornell University is developing plans for a major new project on Route 96 that could include senior housing, offices, small-scale commercial, and an institute for its hotel school.

Town planners have been discussing the idea with Cornell for several months, and Thursday afternoon, Ithaca's town planning committee voted unanimously to recommend the town board consider re-zoning the parcel to accommodate the development.

Cornell owns 35.86 acres on Route 96 between Overlook apartments and the West Hill fire station. Though plans are still preliminary, Cornell is looking to partner with developers Conifer LLC to build 72 senior living apartments and 60 assisted-living units for low-income seniors, Town Supervisor Herb Engman said.

"And this would be Medicaid eligible, which we badly need in this community because we have lots of places where people can age in place ... but none that I know of for those who are Medicaid-eligible," he said.

In late 2007 and early 2008, developers Paul and Chris Vitale asked the town to rezone a parcel they purchased across from Robert H. Treman State Park to accommodate a Medicaid-eligible assisted living center, but town board members declined. The Vitales will likely operate the proposed West Hill assisted living center, Town Planning Director Jonathan Kanter said.

Cornell Real Estate Director Tom LiVigne said the hotel school has not yet been decided on the exact size and shape of a new institute building, but it would study issues related to seniors in terms of food service and housing, and likely interact with the on-site senior housing.

To maintain "maximum flexibility," LiVigne said he hoped the town would rezone based on the maximum possible build-out. John Caruso, senior vice president of Passero Associates, presenting Cornell's plans, suggested a planned development zone should allow 130 to 170 senior and multi-family units, up to 90,500 square feet for the Hotel School institute, 10,000 to 15,000 square feet of office space, and 20,000 to 28,000 square feet of small-scale commercial and retail development.

The parcel is currently zoned medium-density residential, which allows approximately 3.5 homes per acre, Kanter said. That's roughly 122 units.

The northern entrance to the development would join the traffic-signaled light that intersects Overlook and Cayuga Medical Center, plans show. A southern entrance road would be built just north of the West Hill fire station, directly across from the road proposed to enter the 106-unit Holochuck Homes development. That development is still undergoing environmental review with the town's planning board, Kanter said.

Cornell's plans also include a 106-space park-and-ride lot, "which, again, we feel is badly needed for West Hill, so people coming in from Trumansburg, as well as people who might live on this site and nearby people could park their cars there and then take the bus down through town, rather than clogging up the Route 96 corridor from there on down," Engman said.

The small-scale commercial component is very important to the town, and the town board could make that piece of the development a requirement, Kanter said.

Town Board member Rich DePaolo asked about the status of a holistic study on development and traffic on West Hill, something strongly advocated by neighborhood groups concerned about continued West Hill development. The town board approved up to $30,000 for such a study in its budget last November.

The town has been investigating the possibility of imposing impact mitigation fees on developers, Kanter said. A consultant is tentatively scheduled to come speak on the topic the evening of June 10, he said. The town might be able to do a generic environmental impact statement based on full build-out of West Hill, and recoup the costs of the study from developers, Kanter said.

Cornell's proposal is scheduled to come to the full town board June 7 at 5:30 p.m. in Town Hall, 215 N. Tioga St.


Related link (plans):
http://www.theithacajournal.com/asse...B157664513.PDF

[Ex-Ithacan]

ECOVillage expanding (from the Ithaca Journal):



Open house for third neighborhood planned at EcoVillage- ithaca
May 19, 2010, 11:15 am

On Saturday, May 22, from 3-5pm, visitors to EcoVillage at Ithaca (EVI) can tour the existing 60 home ecological community and hear about plans for TREE, the third neighborhood in the award-winning co-housing development.

TREE is branching out and actively seeking new members and anticipating occupancy in 2011. It has already achieved an important milestone, six months before starting construction, by having attracted two thirds of the families who intend to live there, for 20 out of 30 homes.

The new homes will demonstrate cutting edge green building features, including use of "Passive House" standards, popular in Europe, but new to the United States. Passive House design is based on very high energy-efficient homes which also gain heat from the sun

The 3 p.m. open house and tour will start at the first neighborhood Common House, located at 100 Rachel Carson Way (off Route 79 West), 1.5 miles west of downtown Ithaca. The tour will be led by Liz Walker, who has lived with her family at the EcoVillage since its inception in 1996.

Here's a couple of links to the EcoVillage:
http://ecovillageithaca.org/evi/

http://ecovillageithaca.org/treenew/


And here's a link to the article:

http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...illage-+ithaca

[Ex-Ithacan]

This will be a nice addition to the downtown area, and make enjoying the Six Mile gorge easier (from the Ithaca Times):


Walkway connects downtown Ithaca with nature

Rob Montana
Managing Editor

For a short stretch behind the Cayuga Green building, a pathway has been constructed that - when fully completed - will bridge the worlds between downtown's Commons and the natural areas that populate the City of Ithaca.

The Six Mile Creek Walk is planned to travel from downtown through the Six Mile Creek natural area, formalizing the informal network of paths that do so. While a loose connection of trails currently exists, some are on private property, the creation of this pathway from planned start to finish will make it a safer experience.

"The big vision of this is to connect the Commons to the creek," said Tim Logue, city transportation engineer for the City of Ithaca.

"It's an amenity that enhances living downtown," added Phyllisa DeSarno, the City of Ithaca's deputy director for economic development, "With the improved Home Dairy alley, it adds to the whole atmosphere downtown. You go from a very urban setting, to an outdoors setting."

Origin of the Creek Walk

The Six Mile Creek Walk got its start when developer Mack Travis put together his Cayuga Green project. The Planning Board signed off on the plans, working with Travis to construct the pathway behind the building in the process.

"When he rehabbed the building, he agreed to do the first part of the Creek Walk," Logue said, "and he granted the city an easement for it."

Coming this summer, another approximately 350 feet of the trail will be extended from where Travis's portion stopped. The funding for that portion - $100,000 - will come from a Recreational Trails program grant, attained by the city after the Planning Department wrote a proposal seeking funds.

"It's estimated that amount will building another 350 feet of trail," said Logue.

While it seems like a short distance for such a large sum of money, the transportation engineer noted that the area to be worked on will need more extensive work than just laying some cinders, putting up a handrail and installing some lights.

"The character is different," Logue said. "We will have to build the rail, put on the wall cap and add more stone dust.

"But, the wall dipes and we will need more concrete to ensure its safety," he added, noting that people already walk the proposed route but they do "at your own risk."

He said the Creek Walk is expected to be similar to the Cascadilla Gorge Trail - the currently closed trail that links downtown with Cornell University - just on the other side of the city.

"It's not just great recreation, but a functional path," Logue said. "People that live on South Hill or Giles Street area will have an easier way to get downtown - when it's all done.

"Essentially, right now, we will just have the small piece we're doing this summer," he added.

The existing Six Mile Creek Gorge Trail, which the Creek Walk is anticipating linking up with, is an old Native American trail that offers remnants of an old building and the Elizabeth Mulholland Wildflower Preserve. The three-mile trail offers a variety of wooded area, with lots of foliage to view and access to the creek in plenty of spots.

According to the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, the Gorge Trail offers "some of Ithaca's best hiking opportunities, ranging from short walks to full-day hikes." It notes the best way to link into it from downtown - and where the Creek Walk expects to connect as well - is from the Columbia/Giles street end of the pedestrian bridge.

"The trail here follows creekside ledge in places, and can be submerged if water levels are very high," states the Web site. "Approaching Giles Street, the trail forks, with a dead end branch heading to the base of the falls below Giles Street, and the other branch climbing to meet the road."

The Binghamton-area contracting firm Procon Contracting, which built the first part of the pathway, is working on the project now, Logue said.

"We're under construction down there," he said. "They've already done some grading and started pouring the cap on top of the wall. They are also fabricating the railing.

"They'll probably need another week to finish the wall work, another week to finish the stone dust path. The railing fabrication, I'm not sure how much longer that will be," Logue added. "I would think they will be done not too far before the end of June."

What's next?

While the next 350-or-so feet of the trail is set to become permanent this summer, the city is still looking for the money to pay for the approximately $1 million worth of work that is expected to be needed to complete the full vision for the Creek Walk.

"The city will continue to look for grants," Logue said.

"We've done well with grants, we're hopeful we will continue to be successful," added DeSarno.

Private funding hasn't played a role in the money search for the city, primarily because it is uncommon for private funds to factor into a public project.

"We've looked mostly at public funds, funding from state and federal sources," Logue said. "It might qualify for Local Waterfront Revitalization grants, because it is along the creek.

"Tourism grants don't really seem to be something that would apply," he added.

While the city is seeking grant funds to complete a full Creek Walk, Logue and DeSarno both acknowledged there are plenty of projects for which Ithaca needs funding.

"We have a bunch of trail projects on the list," Logue said. "We have a lot of things we want to do."

"There are a lot of projects going on," DeSarno added.

There hasn't been much movement on the grant seeking front, but Logue noted the Planning Department had been successful in obtaining the one for the current work, passing it on to the public works department to do the work.

And Logue said the next phase of work won't likely be inexpensive.

"The next pieces is really to pick up from where we left off and get to the woods," he said. "We'll be thinking about the trail that goes up through the woods and into the gorge.

"There are a couple of crossings that will have to be done there, over the creek, and the bridges won't be cheap," Logue added. "Maybe the Planning Department is looking for a larger grant to cover that."


Tim Logue, City of Ithaca transportation engineer, left, and Phyllisa DeSarno, deputy director of economic development, stand on a completed portion of the Six Mile Creek Walk trail behind the Cayuga Green development. (Photo by Rachel Philipson)


A view of the Six Mile Creek Walk's first section, located behind the Cayuga Green project, fully developed. (Photo by Rachel Philipson)


Edit - I just realized the people in the first pic are standing behind Mack Travis' Gateway Center complex. The second picture is behind the Cayuga Green project (with a different developer). Both are on Six Mile Creek though.

Here's the link to the article:
http://www.ithacatimes.com/main.asp?...rticleID=11831

[Ex-Ithacan]

I'm on the "Take them down" side.

http://ithaca-cortland.ynn.com/conte...-than-planned/

[Ex-Ithacan]

From the Ithaca Journal, Tomkins has lowest unemployment rate in New York:

Tompkins had state's lowest unemployment rate in April
Staff and wire reports • May 20, 2010, 7:40 pm

Tompkins County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state, according to the latest statistics released Thursday by the state Department of Labor.

Tompkins saw a drop in its seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to 5.1 percent in April, compared to 5.5 percent in March. A year ago, the rate was 5 percent.

State labor officials say the overall rate for New York was 8.2 percent in April, down from 8.8 percent in March.

The state Department of Labor reports that the April rate was the lowest since May 2009.

The U.S. unemployment rate in April was 9.9 percent.

The labor department says Thursday the state's economy gained 31,500 private-sector jobs. That was the fourth straight monthly increase.

Tompkins' neighbors also showed improvement. Tioga County's unemployment rate was 7.3 percent for April compared to 8.7 percent in March; Seneca's 7.3 compared to 8.4; Schuyler's 8.0 compared to 9.8; Cayuga's 8.0 compared to 9.2; and Cortland's 8.4 compared to 9.7.


Here's the link: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...-rate-in-April

[Ex-Ithacan]

Update on a couple of projects for Collegetown (from the Ithaca Journal):

Collegetown apartments proposed
By Krisy Gashler •kgashler@gannett.com • May 25, 2010, 11:00 pm

Ithaca's Planning Board discussed two Collegetown projects at its Tuesday night meeting including developer Nick Lambrou's proposal to tear down and rebuild 309 Eddy St., and developer John Novarr's proposed Collegetown Terrace Apartments on East State/Martin Luther King Street.

The board also gave final approval for a new Olive Garden restaurant at 740 S. Meadow St. Site development manager Neil Terwilliger said he expects construction to start sometime this summer and the restaurant to open six months later.

Lambrou presented initial sketch plans for a new apartment building at 309 Eddy that would include 41 units and a ground-floor fitness center.

The five-story building would meet all current zoning, as well as zoning changes proposed in the Collegetown Urban Plan, except on parking, Lambrou architect Jagat Sharma said. Current zoning would require 62 spots and Lambrou proposes 54.

The project "would be a great way to try the new fee-for-parking system," wherein a developer can pay the city a fee in lieu of providing off-street parking, said Lambrou's attorney, Ray Schlather. Under the system, which was endorsed by Common Council last year, the money would be used for pedestrian, bike and mass transit upgrades. Otherwise, Lambrou could re-configure his lot to meet zoning, Schlather said.

Planning Board Chairman John Schroeder praised the sketch plans, saying the new building "fits beautifully on this site."

Lambrou said he hopes to break ground in summer 2011.

On Collegetown Terrace Apartments, the planning board continued its review of an environmental impact statement draft submitted by the developers.

Joe McMahon, who lives across Six Mile Creek from Novarr's property, spoke in favor of the project, especially the proposal to put parking beneath buildings. That change would reduce impermeable surfaces and help improve water quality in the nearby creek, McMahon said. He would prefer the project to be smaller, he added.

Common Council's planning committee voted last week to begin re-zoning areas throughout the city, including one block of Novarr's project site. The appointed planning board's review will continue on its own path, as mandated by state law, while the elected Common Council considers re-zoning, City Planning Director JoAnn Cornish said. If any part of the site is re-zoned, the developer and the planning board would have to adjust their plans, she said.

The board scheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. Tuesday to vote on Novarr's impact statement. Once approved by the board, the statement would be open for public comment



Here's the link: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...ments+proposed

[Ex-Ithacan]

I guess the urban area will be spreading up South Hill even more. From the Ithaca Journal:


Town of Ithaca discusses traffic from South Hill plans
By Krisy Gashler •kgashler@gannett.com • June 1, 2010, 10:45 pm

Ithaca's Town Planning Board gave preliminary subdivision approval Tuesday to developer Evan Monkemeyer, who plans to build a 15-lot subdivision off King Road East, just south of College Circle.

The board also discussed Ithaca College's proposal to expand the Circle Apartments, but by press time hadn't voted on preliminary site plan approval.

Plans call for demolishing four apartment buildings and building nine new ones, adding 280 bedrooms to the complex.

Herman Sieverding, representing Ithaca College and College Circle Associates LLC, said the college hopes construction could start in October. The first phase would be done by August 2011 and the full construction would be done by June 2012, he said.

Amy Dake, a traffic engineer with Rochester-based SRF Associates, said her analysis of four major intersections on Route 96B indicated that the project expansion will not add enough new traffic to require new mitigation, such as a traffic light.

The study -- completed in March and April -- included counts of traffic and wait times at the intersections of 96B with East and West King Road, the main Ithaca College entrance, and Clinton Street in the City of Ithaca. The study also included the potential effect of nine other proposed developments in some stage of planning on South Hill, she said.

Planning Board member Jon Bosak challenged the assumptions underlying the traffic analysis. Studies rank the best intersections, where drivers wait zero to 10 seconds to turn, as A. The worst intersections, where drivers wait a minute or longer, are ranked F.

The intersection of 96B and Clinton Street is already ranked F, according to the study.

"If you have something that's a beautiful traffic situation, A level, and as a result, this development moves that to B, then 'Wow, that's a big deal. That's an entire change in grade.' But if you have, as in this case, something that's an F. It's abysmal, it's unacceptable. And you have exactly the same impact, 'Well, then it doesn't matter because you can't go any lower,'" Bosak said. "There's something deeply wrong with this picture."

Town Attorney Susan Brock responded that the traffic study also showed that at least 50 percent of residents of Circle Apartments use an internal road that connects directly to IC and don't use 96B.

"If they're not living there, they'll live somewhere else and then they will be driving. I think you need to think about that," she said.



Here's the link: http://www.theithacajournal.com/arti...uth+Hill+plans