Just Places Lab

Although the damage was significant, the buildings did not burn all the way to the ground (see figures 4 and 5). “We had hoped for re-use of some of the building, but the reports indicated it was too far gone” (Dietz, 2015). Because of its historic designation, the demolition had to be approved by the ILPC as stipulated under section 228-3 of the city’s municipal code. On January 16, 2016, the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission approved the design for the new building, finding its details and materials compatible with the historic character of the East Hill Historic District. In particular, they liked that the design harked back to the original building, with its brick and stone cladding, storefront windows, and mansard roof (ILPC, 2016), but did not try to imitate the original. “The amalgamation of architectural styles... contemporary and traditional building materials, and modern building techniques will identify it as a new structure within the Historic District” (ILPC, Jan 2016).

Just four months after ILPC approved construction, the owner, Sebastian Mascaro, abruptly sold the empty lot to James L. Goldman, the owner of 406 Stewart, for $850,000. Goldman owns a private airport in New Hampshire and two other parcels on Stewart and Osmun Place, which he bought from Mascaro. Under new ownership, the project architect, Jason Demarest, sought approval to remove the mansard roof from the north side of the building, for fire-safety compliance, and to use “brick block” on that side (concrete scored and colored to look like brick) to bring costs down. The ILPC approved the removal of the north-facing mansard roof but denied the request to use brick block, citing that it would have a “substantial adverse effect on the aesthetic, historical, or architectural significance” (ILPC, March 2016) of the East Hill District. Today 400 and 406 Stewart are joined on the second floor but the apartments are unoccupied.

400 Stewart is part of the Local and National Historic District of East Hill (City of Ithaca, 2017), an area containing the highest concentration of Ithaca’s architecturally and historically significant buildings built between 1870-1920. Any zoning variance or architectural change in this area must be approved by the Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission (ILPC). East Hill displays many architectural styles that were popular in America at the turn of the 20th century, including Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Renaissance Revival, and Arts and Crafts. The homes are set into the steep hill that rises up to meet Cornell - they are sprawling, some ornate, with deep setbacks and tended front yards. Most have been divided up into multiple units and shared student housing. The area is dense with students on their way to or from school.

In this residential context, 400 Stewart and its neighbor to the south, 310 Stewart, are the only two buildings on the block with big storefront windows, so it's clear they were built as retail spaces to serve their rural/residential surroundings and the burgeoning university population. The Carriage House Cafe, another popular student haunt until it closed recently, sits just across the street, and so does the Cornell student radio station, WVBR. From a pedestrian experience, these mixed-use buildings “talk to each other” in a sense, signaling increased foot traffic and commercial activity. This particular stretch of Stewart Ave, between Buffalo and Cascadilla, is wider than the residential blocks to the north and south, and patches of street asphalt give way to uneven, exposed brick, giving it a historic flavor.