Ithaca Commons facts for kids
.jpg)
The Ithaca Commons is a popular two-block area in downtown Ithaca, New York. It's a special place where only people can walk, not cars. This area is the heart of the city's culture and economy. The Commons is full of cool restaurants, unique shops, and public art. Many fun community festivals happen here all year round. It's a favorite spot for both locals and visitors.
About The Commons
The Commons has a unique shape, like an upside-down letter T. The main part is two blocks long on State Street. It stretches between Cayuga and Aurora Streets. Here you'll find many stores, art galleries, places to eat, and cafes.
There's also a smaller section called "Bank Alley." This part goes north up Tioga Street to Seneca Street. It has several banks and financial offices. Many buildings on the Commons have apartments or offices on their upper floors. Tompkins Cortland Community College even has a small campus here.
During the summer, you can enjoy free concerts and shows. Local musicians and entertainers perform at places like the Bernie Milton Pavilion. The Commons is also a common place for community gatherings and speeches.
Many exciting festivals take place here throughout the year. The biggest one is the Ithaca Festival, which happens in early June.
A cool feature starting in the Commons is the Sagan Planet Walk. It's a scale model of our Solar System. The walk is named after Carl Sagan, a famous astronomer from Cornell University. It stretches about three-quarters of a mile to the Sciencenter. The planets closest to the Sun are all found on a short part of Bank Alley.
The main bus stops for TCAT are right next to the Commons. This makes it easy to get there.
History of The Commons
In the 1960s, downtown Ithaca faced tough times. More people were driving cars and moving to suburbs. Many stores were empty, and old buildings were torn down.
In 1971, Mayor Ed Conley suggested a new idea. He wanted to turn several blocks of State Street into a pedestrian mall. Many towns were trying this to help their downtowns. Design work began in 1972. Construction started in 1974, and The Commons opened in 1975. It cost about $1.13 million to build.
The name "The Commons" was chosen in a community contest. A high school student named Bill Ryan won the prize. He got the idea after visiting the Boston Common.
The Commons soon faced competition. The first shopping mall in the Ithaca area opened nearby in 1976. In 1981, a large building called Center Ithaca was built. It had shops, a food court, offices, and apartments.
During the 1990s, the Commons struggled again. Many stores closed down. Some big names like McDonald's and CVS left. There were many empty storefronts. Some people even suggested opening the street back up to cars.
Around the year 2000, things started to get better. More money was invested in the area. The Downtown Ithaca Alliance was created in 1997. Its goal was to make the Commons and its surroundings better.
The old Woolworths store became the new Tompkins County Public Library in 2000. In 2005, Seneca Place opened. This large building included a Hilton Garden Inn hotel and offices. It also had the first Starbucks in the Ithaca area.
Between 2003 and 2015, the Cayuga Green project changed the area. Old parking lots were replaced. New buildings were added, including the independent movie theater Cinemapolis. There were also new luxury apartments and a parking garage with shops. Another apartment building, Gateway Commons, was finished nearby in 2007.
However, the Commons' old pipes and structures started causing problems. In the late 1990s, a committee looked at its future. They suggested a $127,000 project for repairs. A large, old fountain that had been broken for years was removed. It was replaced with an open paved area with seating. More temporary repairs were done in 2008.
In 2009, a company called Sasaki Associates was hired. They designed a complete new look for the Commons. The plan included an open central path, new seating, and better lighting. It also had an outdoor reading area and a small playground.
The old Commons was taken down in April 2013. The reconstruction was supposed to take 18 months. It was planned to cost $9.5 million. But many problems caused delays and higher costs. These included old maps, bad plans, and issues with utility companies. A runaway truck even caused damage. Many business owners said their sales dropped a lot. In August 2015, the Commons finally reopened. The total cost was about $15 million.
In 2012, a sculpture of Martin Luther King Jr. was placed at the western end of the Commons. The artist, Rob Licht, created a bust of King. It also shows an abstract waterfall. The base of the statue has a quote from King.
In late 2015, a new ten-story Marriott hotel began construction. It was built on an empty lot at the eastern end of the Commons. The hotel opened in November 2016.
In 2013, a local developer suggested a new project. It would replace three buildings on the Commons. The plan included modern shops and offices. It also featured an eleven-story apartment tower. This project, called "Harold's Square," would also fix up the old Sage Block building.
Features
- Sagan Planet Walk
- Bernie Milton Pavilion
- State Theatre
Annual Events
- Annual Chili Festival (early February)
- Ithaca Festival (early June)
- Taste of Ithaca (late June)
- Apple Harvest Festival (early October)
- Ithaca Ice Festival (early December)
- Chowder Cook-Off (December)
- First Friday Gallery Nights (first Friday of each month)
- Summer Concert Series (Thursday evenings during the summer)
