Ithacating in Cornell Heights

Plenty of progress at 210 Hancock. LeCesse has the foundation completed and the apartment building is out of the ground. The northern two segments have a parking garage on the first floor, hence the paving. Rebar poking out of the CMUs will tie into the steel structure. The southern two segments are a little further along. Steelwork is underway for both, with the first floor framed out. The southernmost structure, which will house the affordable daycare space, already has interior stud walls going up, as well as plywood with rough openings for doors and windows.

The five for-rent townhouses are much further along than I had anticipated. They are fully framed and it looks like tar paper is being applied to the rooftops. Looking at the sample wall at the corner of the property, there were a couple different housewraps in display – one was standard DuPont Tyvek commercial wrap, the other was Henry BlueSkin, which I’ve never before seen in a project around Ithaca. A little research suggests BlueSkin is a newer and more expensive product, but it seems to have its proponents. With fewer staples or button caps involved, it’s less labor-intensive to install, and less fastening comes with less of a risk of the vapor barrier being torn open and compromising its waterproofing abilities.

Both are fully synthetic plastic wraps with microscopic holes that allow moisture to breathe out without letting moisture in from the outside, preventing mold and wood rot. But in order for Tyvek to work effectively, all the joints and seams have to be taped tight to keep water from seeping in at the edges. Blueskin is created with an adhesive so that it doesn’t have to be taped down. However, BlueSkin still has to be fastened at window and door openings, the application surface has to be clean and dry, and it’s more difficult to apply in temperatures less than 40 degrees F – keep in mind, we’re at the onset of a northeast winter. I’m not sure which barrier will be applied where, but we’ll find out soon.