An Economic Development Plan for the City of Ithaca a Program for Action

AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE CITY OF ITHACA A PROGRAM FOR ACTION Prepared for the City ofIthaca by: PLANNINGIENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH CONSULTANTS 31 0 West State Street Ithaca, NY 14850 With the assistance ofthe City ofIthaca Planning and Development staff September 1998 (Accepted by Common Council March 5, 2003) Economic Development Plan City ofIthaca, New York Alan J. Cohen - Mayor With special thanks to members ofthe Economic Development Plan Advisory Committee: David Sprague - Chairperson, Sprague & Janowsky, Ithaca, N.Y. I Martha Armstrong - Tompkins County Area Development, Ithaca, N.Y. Barbara Blanchard -Tompkins County Board ofRepresentatives, Ithaca, N.Y. I Susan Blumenthal- Common Council, City ofIthaca Scott Dagenais - M & T Bank, Ithaca, N.Y. I David Kay - Planning and Development Board, City ofIthaca Bill Myers - Alternatives Federal Credit Union, Ithaca, N.Y. I Tom Niederkorn -PlanninglEnvironmental Research Consultants, Ithaca, N.Y. John Novarr - Novarr-Mackesey Development Company, Ithaca, NY I Megan Shay - Evaporated Metals Films (EMF), Ithaca, N.Y. Martin Violette - Conservation Advisory Council, City ofIthaca _I Cal Walker - Assistant Director in the Learning Strategies Center, Ithaca, NY H. Matthys Van Cort - Director ofPlanning & Development, City ofIthaca I) Jeannie Lee - Economic Development Planner, City ofIthaca Consultant: I Tom Niederkorn -Planning/Environmental Research Consultants, Ithaca, N.Y. I Other Staff: Jennifer Kusznir - Economic Development Planner, City ofIthaca I Douglas McDonald - Director ofEconomic Development, City ofIthaca I I I I -I AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE CITY OF ITHACA A PROGRAM FOR ACTION TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1. INTRODUCTION Part I 1 Part II 6 Section 2. IDGHLIGHTS 8 Section 3. CONDITIONS AND TRENDS 11 I Section 4. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY 19 Growth: I Policy, Objectives, Actions, Responsibility, Priorities Intermunicipal Relations: Policy, Objectives, Actions, Responsibility, Priorities I Section 5. SITE ANALYSIS: SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 26 I ********************** I APPENDICES Appendix A Site Evaluation Areas I Appendix B Assessment ofExisting Development Regulations: Zoning, Site Plan Review, Environmental Review, Subdivisions I Appendix C Intermunicipal Cooperation: One Model Appendix D Summary ofAlternative Development Strategies Appendix E Summary ofSmall Group Discussions Appendix F Advisory Committee Value Scan Appendix G Summary ofMaterial Reviewed for Report Appendix H Economic Development Forum SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION-Part I Work on a plan for economic development in the City ofIthaca began in early September 1996. At that time, an Economic Development Forum was convened to provide insight and guidance on the city's economy. Seventy-five people who lived or worked in the Ithaca area were asked to help with the formulation ofgoals and objectives for the city's economic future. (The list of the participants and the forum topic and conclusions can be found in Appendix H.) After several meetings of the Forum, it was recognized that a comprehensive effort on a larger scale was needed to improve the local economy and provide more and better job opportunities for all residents. Ithaca was but one part of a larger economic unit that included adjacent municipalities, all ofTompkins County and the nearby region. To further its original economic development initiative, Common Council funded a study to develop specific city-oriented strategies that could be incorporated into a countywide plan. At the county level, the Board ofRepresentatives commissioned the preparation ofa strategic plan for economic development that addresses many ofthe issues identified in the economic forum, designating Tompkins County Area Development (TCAD) as the project leader and coordinator. City and TCAD/County efforts have been closely coordinated. The city's plan, as set forth in this report, as well as a number of sector-specific plans addressing broad issues such as farmland preservation and work force development, will become building blocks of a countywide economic plan and development strategy. An II-member Economic Development Advisory Committee was appointed to assist in the preparation ofthe city's economic development plan by providing direction, reacting to material presented and making recommendations to the Mayor and Council, as appropriate. Members of the committee were selected to bring a diversity of thoughts and opinions to the table; they represented local business, industry, development, banking, public agencies and the community at large. ****** As the older urban core and population center, the City of Ithaca faces many of the same economic concerns as other communities in Tompkins County. Unlike these other communities, however, the city must address a number of additional economic issues of great importance including: The need to maintain a wide range ofcommunity services, I A large and growing municipal budget, An eroding property tax base that increasingly fails to keep pace with the cost ofgovernment, An enormous amount oftax-exempt property, I An expensive and aging infrastructure, and Older commercial buildings that reflect the economy ofan earlier era. I -I I Clearly, the city has an urgent and growing need to be as competitive as other communities in I the county and region for a share ofnew economic development. I Over time, Ithaca's economic condition has been significantly influenced by a number of intricately interconnected variables including national, state, regional and county economies, Cornell University and Ithaca College policies, infrastructure systems, demographic trends and I public attitudes. These dynamics are all active today. While some are beyond local control, others can be shaped to be either positive or negative forces. I Information and recommendations on the following pages provide a basic component ofthe city's current response to the challenge of improving the local economy. As a plan, this study has several dimensions ranging from- the establishment ofoverall policy to identification and analysis I of development opportunities for specific sites. It is the culmination of 10 months of concentrated effort under the leadership ofthe Advisory Committee, broadened by outreach to groups and individuals that could bring insight and informed community opinion to the project. Economic activity in the city is complex and widespread encompassing several distinct and unique development areas. By intent, the focus ofthis plan has been limited largely to one of these; an irregular area lying between Route 13 and the Flood Control Channel and stretching from Newman GolfCourse onthe north to the south city line on Elmira Road. There are roughly 630 acres in this study area, or approximately 20% ofall the land in the city. It contains much of the city's existing commercial and industrial land use and most of the land that has good development potential. In addition, several smaller isolated sites have been included in the study: "Gun-Shop" Hill, the former Wilcox Press building and the Morse Building, which is part ofthe Emerson complex on South Hill sometimes referred to as Building 24. West State Street between The Commons and Meadow Street -- a subsectioRofthe main study area -- was not investigated in detail as a part ofthis study because it is essentially built up and large-scale development opportunities are limited. Even so, construction ofthe County's Human Services Building on West State Street, combined with pending street improvements and i landscaping, should stimulate additional private-sector improvements. While some new development is anticipated in the West State Street area, it is likely that most future changes will involve rehabilitation ofexisting structures, some rebuilding or infill on individual small lots and I rear yard development. i ) I i 2 I I Two other subsections within the overall study area have received a considerable amount of attention and study recently. For this reason, they were also not investigated as a part ofthis study. These subsections are: I The Fulton/Meadow Corridor Area I Because ofmajor street improvements and traffic movement changes in the West End, the Fulton/Meadow corridors have assumed a high level ofimportance in future West End land use patterns. The seven blocks bounded by Fulton and I Meadow Streets have been the subject of a recent intensive study by the city's Department of Planning and Development and a draft plan for expected new development in this area has been completed and presented to City Council for I review and public comment. The West End Urban Design Plan is consistent with the conclusions and recommendations ofthis economic study. I Inlet Island An Inlet Island Urban Design Plan for future land use and development in an area that lies between the Inlet and flood channel, north ofWest State Street, has I also been completed recently and was adopted by the Common Council on November 4, 1998. Guidelines for achieving the desired physical character of I this area, including detailed construction and landscaping proposals have been presented and now await official action by the city. Recommendations in both the West End Urban Design Plan and the Inlet Island Urban Design Plan are I viewed as supporting components ofthis economic study. It is fully recognized and understood that a plan for future economic activity in the city is not I limited to the areas examined on the following pages ofthis report. Two vital components of the city's economy, which were not

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