Ithacating in Cornell Heights

For the purposes of this blog, Cayuga Meadows is essentially finished. Interior finish work, landscaping, curbing/stripping and lawn seeding have yet to be completed, but the scope of that is only a small component of the overall project. Income-qualified mature readers who are interested can send inquiries here, and the income limits can be found

As a final thought, my feelings on this project are mixed. On the one hand, affordable senior housing is a critical need in Tompkins County. 68 units for seniors on modest, often fixed incomes is a welcome addition to the local housing market. With that being said, the location leaves a lot to be desired. While it is close to Cayuga Medical Center, it is a drive to virtually everything else, and seniors will now feel compelled to incur the expense of maintaining a personal vehicle, making it less affordable than it appears on paper. Its isolated location may also leave seniors cloistered as their ability to drive degrades and they become reliant on the occasional bus service on West Hill. Conifer had their reasons to choose this site, to be sure: land costs, Cornell was accommodating, and relatively few neighbors to contend with during the review and permits process. But its remote location and conventional suburban approach is somewhat self-defeating towards its goal of affordability, and impacts the quality of life of its residents. Kinda hard to believe their ad starts with “located in the heart of Ithaca“.

Still, something is better than nothing. Kudos to Conifer for sticking with it the past few years, and to LeChase Construction for a smooth buildout.