Taking a page out of Ithaca Builds’ format – breaking these up to reduce wordpress photo drag. I had exactly 90 minutes to try and hit as much of Ithaca as possible before getting back on the road; I didn’t see everything I wanted, but I hit a lot, and I’ll be sharing those photos over the next few days.
Phase 2 for Collegetown Terrace is nearing completion (units will have their first tenants next month), and phase 3 is underway with a targeted completion date of August 2014. Phase 2 consists of buildings 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4. Phase 3 will have buildings 5, 6 and 7, and these buildings will be similar in appearance to phase 2.
The large glassy entry pavilion (where the fitness center will be, if I remember right) is largely complete, Any work left at this stage would likely be cosmetic details such as finishes.
Since I’m not the biggest fan of modern architecture, I was a little nervous about the facade treatment when it was first proposed. The metal tiles don’t look half bad, as the landscaping grows in they’ll blend into the environment more nicely.
The George C. Williams house has been sympathetically renovated, although the addition to the back is rather incongruous.
Building 3.4 is quite massive, although the north facade attempts to make the structure seem a little less mammoth. The south side, deeper into the gorge, makes less of an effort. Building 5 can be under construction in the above image.
This guy totally struggled to turn into the street. On that note, I struggled just trying to cross the street. I will be quite relieved when the reworked intersection of State and Mitchell is in place.
The buildings from Phase 1 are growing out their landscaping and appear to be faring all this construction rather well.
Not quite sure what the red-and-white checkered flag means, it could be a warning symbol or a company symbol, like the topping pine tree seen with some construction projects.
Ithacating in Cornell Heights 
I was in Ithaca a couple of weeks ago and was able to see this project first hand. Gotta say it is impressive. Thanks for sharing the pics.
You are right to be nervous about the tile facades. As an architect and a graduate of the nation’s #1 ranked architecture school, I gotta say that it is bad. And to place it in to perspective, this is not about a style of architecture per se, rather, it is about a developer holding on to his purse strings with the single objective of maximizing his profit. The architect is probably making the best of what looks to be a tight budget. Ithaca needs developers who love Ithaca and not opportunists.
You mention the George C. Williams house addition “is rather incongruous”. I haven’t seen it, but if memory serves me right there is a general principle with additions to historically designated buildings (actually, I think this principle derives from a United Nations opinion on the matter): Something to the effect that additions to historical buildings are acceptable is far as they are clearly differentiated from the architecture of the original building. Meaning, it has to be incongruous, preferably modern, so that the nature of the historical site remains.
Thought i’d add that. Fairly sure my memory is accurate.