Ithacating in Cornell Heights

Demolition work has commenced at 205 Dryden Road, also known as “Dryden South”, in Collegetown. Only a pile of debris indicates where the old Kraftee’s building once stood. Once the site is cleared, Excavation work and pile driving for the foundation can begin. When completed in August 2016, 205 Dryden, a 6-story, 65-foot structure, will house Kraftee’s in 2,400 SF of retail sapce on its ground floor, and 2 4-bedroom apartments on each of the upper five floors, for a total of 10 units and 40 bedrooms.

Kraftee’s is one of the local private college department stores, and opened its second location in Ithaca in December 2002 (the first store opened in Herkimer in 1989, moved to Oswego in 1990, and is still open today). Owner/developer Pat Kraft bought 205 Dryden in August 2004, and in January 2008, moved the store to the old convenience store next door (325 College Avenue, now the home of PopShop). In fall 2011, Kraftee’s moved back into the Dryden Avenue space after 325 College was sold to John Novarr, and he decided to not renew Kraft’s lease. Now, with the new build underway, Kraftee’s is temporarily housed at 315-17 College Avenue, in a space rented from the Lambrou family.

As previously discussed, plans for a new building on the Kraftee’s property have been in motion for a while – since at least 2009, according to Dryden South’s website. Formal plans, however, were not presented until May 2014, after the new Collegetown zoning went into effect. Plans were approved last August, but given the student renting cycle and rented units in the upper floors, work on the site began only recently.

According to county records, the project was extended a $6,400,000 building loan from Oswego-based Pathfinder Bank on July 14th. Prolific Collegetown architect Jagat Sharma handled the design, and Rochester-based LeChase Contruction is in charge of the build-out.