202 Eddy Street Construction Update, 6/2015

9 06 2015

Work is progressing at 202 Eddy Street in Collegetown, where a reconstruction is underway to replace a historic building destroyed by fire in March 2014. Owner/developer Nick Lambrou announced plans to rebuild on the site shortly after the fire, with every intent of capturing the original home’s character. Being a part of the East Hill Historic District, the design of the replacement structure had to be approved by the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Council (ILPC). After thorough review, the ILPC approved plans for a new 12-bedroom apartment building that completely replaces the fire-damaged building.

The new structure is a faithful interpretation of the original building, though it’s not an exact copy. An entrance door was repositioned, exterior emergency stairs will be internalized, and a chimney will not be rebuilt, but otherwise, its a close approximation of the original 19th century home. The architect is Ithaca-based Jagat Sharma, who has previous experience from the reconstruction of Sigma Pi’s house when it burnt down in 1995.

In these photos from Friday, most of the windows at least one of the doors have been fitted, and the exterior plywood is sheathed in Tyvek. The third floor, with its distinctive cupola, gives us a preview of the trim and siding – HardiePlank lap siding and half-round shingle siding, both in shades of green reminiscent of the original house, and “Arctic White” trim boards. Looking through the third floor window, there might be some drywall hanging underway, and judging from the first floor rough door opening, the interior lower floors may still be rough-ins phase.

202 Eddy is on the agenda this month by the ILPC; the council will conduct an inspection of materials just to make sure all is in good order, and as a prerequisite for issuing a Certificate of Appropriateness in July.

County records indicate the cost of construction is estimated at $750,000. Plans call for the new building to be completed and ready for occupancy by August, in time for the fall 2015 semester.

20150605_155608 20150605_155636 20150605_155702 20150605_155712

202_eddy


Comments : 1 Comment »
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : collegetown, construction, photos, residential life

The Cornell Fine Arts Library

6 05 2015

fine_arts_2

Here we go, renders of the Cornell Fine Arts Library, courtesy of the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Council (ILPC) Agenda. Additional renders here, project narrative here. Apparently, the ILPC does get to review the addition, although looking at the agenda for the 14th, it doesn’t look like they’re making any decisions (and being just outside the Arts Quad Historic District, they may not be able to).

fine_arts_3

Quoting the front page of the narrative, “rather than acting as a physical symbol, it radiates activity and occupation”. The university wanted the new superstructure, which they’re calling a “lantern”, to be as visible as possible from campus entry points, and it is claimed that the addition will bring “distinction and excellence to the campus”.

fine_arts_4

The building will have two entrances, one public and one for AAP only. The interior will consist of four levels of mezzanine shelving for the Fine Arts Library’s collection, as well as interspersed work/study spaces. Floor-to-ceiling space will range from 48 feet on the north side of the reading room to 7.5 feet in some sections of the library stacks. Long, unobstructed hallways will run the length of Rand Hall. The large variation is meant to convey both grand spaces and “private engagement” with the books. The lantern will have a catwalk as well as working spaces.

fine_arts_5

The design replaces Rand’s multi-pane daylight-factory windows with single panes, removes the east stairwell, and is purposely designed to overhang above Rand, acting as a sort of canopy for rain and sunlight protection.

fine_arts_1

As previously covered, the architect is a Cornell alum, Vienna-based Wolfgang Tschapeller M.A. ’87. More of Tschapeller’s very avant-garde designs can be found at his website here. The project is being funded in part by a multi-million dollar donation from Cornell alumna, architect and UC-Berkeley professor Mui Ho ’62 B. Arch ’66. No construction time frame or total cost have been given at this time.

I’ll call a spade a spade. Rand Hall is getting an ugly hat. One that the rest of campus will be subjected to looking at for years to come.

 

 


Comments : 8 Comments »
Tags: , , , , ,
Categories : academic buildings, architecture, Cornell, ithaca, news

Next Entries »