THE STATE OF OUR DOWNTOWN

PRESENTATION TO THE ITHACA ROTARY CLUBGary Ferguson, Downtown Ithaca Alliance

August 1, 2018

Our downtown is in constant evolution

From its earliest days. . .

To the late 19th century buildings. . .

To the development of the 20’s. . .

To the era of the auto. . .

To the era of the Commons & DeWitt Mall. . .

Capturing Regional Growth- 2000 – 2008. . .

A decade of redevelopment• DeWitt House• Harold’s Square• Canopy Hotel• City Centre• Tompkins Financial• Marriott Hotel• State Theatre• Carey Building

• Hotel Ithaca• Lofts at Six Mile Creek• Cayuga Place• Cayuga Garage• Press Bay Alley/Court• 202 The Commons• Tompkins Center for Hist./Cult.• Breckenridge Place

Transformational change

ADDED SINCE 2004:• Total SF of space• Total New Investment ($)• Housing Units• Hotel Rooms• Retail/Office SF• Parking spaces

NET DOWNTOWN GROWTH:• 1,180,000 SF• $280 million/ $200+ M planned• 532 units• 399 rooms• 362,000 SF• 700 parking spaces

TOMPKINS COUNTY CENTER FOR HERITAGE & CULTURE202 THE COMMONS

117 N. CAYUGAPRESS BAY COURT

Up next: Green St. Garage Redevelopment

Beginning stages-- A Downtown 2030 Plan

Key Downtown Strengths• Compactness & Walkability• Proximity to Neighborhoods• Our existing businesses & assets• Density with street level character

Key Downtown Weaknesses• Downtown compactness• Proximity to neighborhoods• Ithaca’s population size• Retail mix

Key Downtown Opportunities• Further density and in-fill development

• Our creativity in problem solving• The tech sector and Ithaca as a millennial gateway

Key Downtown Threats• The retail evolution/revolution & the internet

• Shifting growth to the periphery• Parking supply

Trends to watch• Will Downtowns remain hot?• The high cost of housing• Experiential retailing• Food & beverage superseding retail

Issues for 2030• Re-defining Downtown• Inclusivity & Diversity• Growth in a Mature Downtown• Connecting Downtown• Building a “great place”