At the Aug. 5 Downtown Facility Special Committee meeting, county staff and the project team summarized a multi‑stage deconstruction plan for three downtown properties that will support the Center of Government project.
The timeline and process are significant because deconstruction will affect downtown staging, reduce parking availability during abatement, and determine whether building materials can be salvaged and reused instead of sent to landfill.
The project team said it has walked the three structures with contractors and consultants and will begin with a light‑salvage phase to remove non‑fixed fixtures, then perform hazardous‑materials testing and abatement, and finally proceed with deconstruction. The buildings named in committee discussion were 300 North Tioga, the former KeyBank building (second floor contains identified asbestos in joint compound), and 128 East Buffalo (referred to as Building C). The team reported asbestos in joint compound and floor tile in some buildings and noted that Building C's exterior stucco also tested positive for asbestos, which requires staged exterior abatement.
A presenter said the contractor will determine whether to phase work building‑by‑building or take control of the entire site for staged salvage. "We are leaving it to the contractor whether they want to phase it, meaning start with 1 building, then move to the next, then move to the last, or if they want to start at all 3," the presenter said. The team said proper abatement and staged deconstruction take time and that rushing work would increase the amount of material sent to landfill.
County staff told the committee they expect to produce a first inventory of deconstructible materials by early September so potential reuse markets and community organizations can claim items. Staff said abatement work would likely begin in mid‑ to late‑October, and that the deconstruction process is expected to extend into the following year. The presenter said on‑site staging between the buildings is planned for sorting and temporary storage of recovered materials.
Legislators asked about cost comparisons between traditional demolition and deconstruction; staff said county policy requires following the construction procurement process but that the county could request bids for both demolition and deconstruction to compare costs. The team said it has hired a consultant to identify markets for salvaged materials and that Historic Ithaca has expressed interest in selecting certain items once an inventory is available. The committee was told that abatement and fencing will reduce available parking in the KeyBank back lot and that the county will seek to limit the contractor's footprint to preserve as much parking as possible.
Committee members asked for a clear accounting of anticipated costs and projected timeline impacts; staff agreed to provide more detailed cost estimates and to track materials diverted from landfill as part of the project record.