eric goetzmann | Ithacating in Cornell Heights

Lansing Meadows Construction Update, 3/2020

22 03 2020

This mostly reuses the Voice gallery writeup, but it’s a chance to publish all the unused photos as well.

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There’s been a little bit of controversy lately with developer Eric Goetzmann’s senior housing project on Oakcrest Drive in the village of Lansing. Goetzmann has approached the village and the Tompkins County Industrial Development Agency for permission to convert the rental project to for-sale senior housing. Physically, the changes would be very limited, as it’s mostly the creation of interior lot lines. In terms of concept, though, it’s a more substantial change. The IDA went into private Executive Session to discuss the matter because it involved Goetzmann’s finances and topics of potential future legal action, and the result was that they objected to making them for-sale. The village is willing to consider lot subdivision if Goetzmann and the IDA can work out their differences. Not to delve into speculation behind the Executive Session, but as proposed, it sounds like a 55+ person could buy the unit and let their college kids occupy it, and hope a future Homeowner’s Association handles it. That doesn’t sound like the senior housing the county had in mind.

As approved, the residential components consist of two phases. Four one-story triplexes (12 units total) will be ready for occupancy by the end of July 2020. Two more triplexes (6 units) will be built in a second phase to be ready for occupancy in December 2020. One of the triplexes has been roofed and fitted with windows, a second is fully framed, the third was being framed out, and the fourth was just a concrete pad with sub-slab utility hook-ups poking out. Project planning, design, and construction services are being provided by an all-in-one firm, McFarland Johnson of Binghamton.

A history of the project and an overall description can be found here.

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Tags: construction, construction (planned), eric goetzmann, lansing meadows, photos, senior housing, village of lansing
Categories : construction, construction (planned), photos, senior housing

Lansing Meadows Construction Update, 12/2019

21 12 2019

In the interest of brevity, I’m going to hold off on writing most of the backstory – as Dan Veaner at the Lansing Star noted, the project had at least nine major changes over nine years, and was a discussion topic at no less than 58 meetings. Several articles can also be found on the Voice here.

Lansing Meadows is a $14 million mixed-use project consisting of the BJ’s Wholesale Club that opened in 2012, wetland creation (done outside the area in the Cayuga County town of Montezuma), and a residential component on Oakcrest Road that was a stipulation of the village of Lansing as part of the creation of the Planned Development Area. The senior housing on Oakcrest is being built on wetlands created by an overflowing culvert in the 1970s, when the mall was built. The rest of the site was a vacant, unofficial dumping ground for materials. Whether they’re new or old, by law wetlands removed by development have to be replaced.

The project also has a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) with the Tompkins County IDA, which was controversial when granted (PILOTS and abatements for retail projects are generally discouraged), and as the years went on and the sentiment was that the developer, Eric Goetzmann of Triax Management Group d/b/a Arrowhead Ventures LLC, was dragging his feet on the residential and the county had started to take legal steps to “claw back” the $2.32 million in benefits before Goetzmann finally put something forth. Even then, the residential portion had to go through a few iterations in order to come to a mutually-acceptable plan with the village. The final set of plans were approved in June 2019.

As approved, the residential components consists of two phases. Four one-story triplexes (12 units total) will be ready for occupancy by the end of July 2020. Two more triplexes (6 units) will be built in a second phase to be ready for occupancy in December 2020. All units are senior rental housing, set aside for those aged 55+.

The two end units in each building will be 1252 square feet with a 395 square foot garage. The center unit will be 1114 square feet with a 251 square foot garage. Although not explicitly stated, the square footage appears to be in the ballpark for new two-bedroom or two-bedroom plus den apartments. The units all face a one-way private loop road, called “Lansing Meadows Drive”. Being a one-way allows it to be narrower, yet still meet the village’s specifications and allowing on-street parking. Project planning/design/construction services are being provided by an all-in-one firm, McFarland Johnson of Binghamton.

Framing and sheathing has been completed for one of the 1.5 story triplexes, with framing underway on a second and foundation work ongoing with the next two. The framing is standard wood frame on a concrete slab foundation with underground utility hook-ups, and the sheathing is the ever-popular Huber ZIP plywood panels. Windows and doors have been fitted into the most complete unit, and the roof has been shingled. Rather interestingly, it looks like vinyl trim boards are already in place on the eaves of the structure, something that usually doesn’t come along until much later in the construction process. On the inside, it appears that mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-ins are ongoing.

The space on the easternmost end of the parcel is intended to be developed at a later date for a small-scale (~2,000 SF) commercial retail component, possibly a small restaurant or coffee shop.