www.tompkinsweekly.com Locally Owned & Operated Your source for local news & events Volume 8, No. 50 • October 6-12, 2014 FREE ALSO IN THIS ISSUE… Commons Delays Cause Concern By Franklin Crawford ers had to present a receipt for the day. Many Ithaca Commons “I didn’t know anything merchants say they doubt if about that,” says Jerry they can make it through Martins, owner of Now another winter with the You’re Cooking, a kitchen- Commons unfinished. The ware supply store. “We did- reconstruction project has d n’t see any increase in foot been twice delayed and is traffic for cash mob, and New manager comes to now expected to be complet- we’ve actually been losing community cafe ........page 2 ed in spring 2015. our customer base. We Originally slated for com- knew it would take time, pletion in July of this year, but not this long. I’m wor- the finishing date was ried about the holidays. pushed back to the holi- Locals used to bring guests. days. Now planners and We often had people from Downtown Ithaca Alliance Syracuse, Rochester and (DIA) and city hall staff are Elmira shopping at my Photo by Franklin Crawfor talking almost another year A recent cash mob event on the Commons had little impact on busi- store. Not now.” of reconstruction. Cost for ness, merchants say. To add insult to injury,an the upgrades increased augur struck a water sta- from $12.1 million to more can endure.” what a cash mob was and tion, flooding Martins’ Bill Gates speaks with than $15 million when Com- Natalie Sweeney, owner that they had no clue about basement and the entrance ........page 3 mon Council voted 8–1 on a of Natalia’s Boutique, says it. to Monsour Jewelers, locat- Cornell students resolution to pour $3.8 mil- her numbers are up, but At Homegrown Skate- ed toward the center of the lion more into the job. That that she has to push hard shop, a popular skateboard- Commons. money secured a contract with email blasts to draw ing store located on the “Yes, we had flooding,” Cornell names first from Vacri Construction customers. There is hardly Commons for nine years, says owner David Abdulky. Corp. of Binghamton, any foot traffic, she says, the response was similar. “But worse is we are not ........page 4 female president whose estimate exceeded adding that the “cash mob” “My sales are flat since the seeing people come here. planners’ expectations by event, held on Thursday, project began,” says They keep changing the end $4 million. Sept. 25, was a bust. “I did- Andrew Douglas, Home- date. If I ran my business “I was a real supporter of n’t see any appreciable dif- grown owner. “The DIA and like that, I’d be in trouble. the project in the begin- ference. In fact, I didn’t see city hall also have not been It’s a matter of integrity.” ning,” says Stacey Payette, anything.” Sweeney, who very forthcoming with One shopkeeper says she owner of Sheldon Hill moved her shop from information.” He adds that appreciated the effort by Vintage & Estate Jewelry. Collegetown to the 300 block the cash mob was a bust for the DIA “to do something” “But now it’s really hurting of the Commons, adds, “I his business. but otherwise didn’t want me. Last year, there were don’t think I had a single The idea, created by the to speak on the record or be some tourists; this year I person come in here all DIA, was to attract large identified. haven’t seen any. I’m a afternoon.” crowds to the Commons The reconstruction effort There’s lots to like about small business owner and a When asked if they were who would then spend has suffered setbacks that snails and slugs ........page 5 single mom with a daughter downtown for the cash mob, money in stores. It also was were unpredictable, says about to enter college. I’m several Commons passers- an event held in Center Michael Kuo, project man- reaching the limit of what I by said they didn’t know Ithaca. To enter, store own- Please turn to page 16 Letters, opinion ..........page 6 City, County Go Solar Together By Eric Banford create a new way for local govern- cant step forward in our goal of creat- ments to purchase renewable energy ing a better place for New Yorkers to Tompkins County and the City of from relatively large-scale, off-site live and work, and I look forward to Ithaca have announced a renewable- solar and hydro facilities. Now, seeing these projects contribute to a energy partnership that will build a through a unique partnership with cleaner environment.” 2.4-megawatt (MW) solar array on the city, county and one of the The local project is made possible county-owned land at the Ithaca nation’s largest solar providers, this by competitive funding from the NYS Tompkins Regional Airport. The proj- good idea is about to become a reality. Energy Research and Development A golden opportunity for ect is part of the $94 million NY-Sun We believe our example is an impor- Authority (NYSERDA). Application young actors ................page 8 Initiative awards announced by Gov. tant step forward in reducing our for the incentive funds was filed with Andrew Cuomo, which aims to reliance on fossil fuels and will pave NYSERDA on behalf of the two gov- increase New York’s solar capacity by the way for other local governments ernments by the firm SolarCity,which more than 214 MW. throughout the state.” applied to construct the solar array on The planned solar system will The NY-Sun awards will fund 50 some 10 acres of scrubland located on include more than 8,000 solar panels project sites located at businesses; 41 airport property on the west side of and is expected to produce enough at schools and school districts; 36 at Warren Road. power to supply a third of the City of municipal and other government This is the second solar project to Ithaca government’s annual energy facilities; and 15 at nonprofits, health be built near the airport. Cornell just needs. “The project will help the City care institutions and colleges. Since launched a 2-MW solar array compris- of Ithaca meet its energy use and NY-Sun was launched in 2012, a total ing 6,778 photovoltaic panels on an 11- greenhouse-gas reduction goals,” of 316 MW of solar electric has been acre plot on Snyder Road. This solar Skeletons out of the clos- Mayor Svante Myrick says. “The city installed or is under contract. farm will produce about 1 percent of ..........................................page 9 is committed to reducing GHG emis- “Today we are making another Cornell’s electricity and reduce uni- et sions in government operations 20 long-term investment in our clean versity carbon emissions by 0.5 per- percent by 2016 and 80 percent by 2050. energy economy—with nearly $100 cent. The city’s Energy Action Plan recom- million in funding that will dramati- “We’re really supportive of these mends increased use of renewable cally increase our capacity to gener- large projects,” says Brian Eden, a energy and recognizes solar PV as one ate and utilize solar energy across the board member of Solarize Tompkins of the most promising renewable- state,” Cuomo stated about the NY- who also serves on the Executive and energy sources available in the area.” Sun awards. “New York is quickly Energy committees of the Tompkins “We are particularly proud of our becoming a national leader in renew- County Environmental Management partnership role in this project,” says able energy by building a competitive Council (EMC). “I think things are Michael Lane, Tompkins County solar industry, and today’s award looking up on the state and local Legislature chairman. “Tompkins recipients are an example of how that scene. It takes a lot of energy, but it’s County worked with the Municipal progress continues to grow. As we rec- really gratifying,” he says. Electric and Gas Alliance (MEGA) to ognize Climate Week, this is a signifi- Please turn to page 16 Community Cafe Welcomes New Manager By Nick Babel ing a stronger structure from with- in the business. This structure will Tompkins Weekly recently caught benefit me in creating a more fluid up with Arron Bound, the new operation, which will also be a manager of the Dryden guide for future managers. Community Center Café, to learn a Once the business is secured and little about the man and about his revenue has increased, I will spend plans for Dryden’s favorite meeting more time directing the nonprofit place. aspect. This is when the volunteers Tompkins Weekly: What are will see the fruit of their efforts some of your ties to the communi- during the day. I would like to see ty? us provide more enrichment pro- Arron Bound: I first became grams in the evening. To achieve acquainted with Dryden while I this we will need to collaborate was attending TC3. I graduated in with other established organiza- winter of 2011 with an associate’s tions, such as Cornell Cooperative in Sciences–Liberal Arts and Extension and Alternatives Credit Sciences–General Studies. I then Union. These groups already have went on to graduate from SUNY programs that help enrich people’s Cortland this spring with a bache- ability to empower themselves. The lor’s in Selected Studies and a ovided goal is to show people the tools that minor in Childhood Psychology.