Landmarks commission schedules site visit for First Presbyterian ramp; raises concerns about steps, handrails and alternatives

The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission on March 18, 2025 agreed to conduct a site visit to inspect a proposed barrier-free access ramp at First Presbyterian Church, 315 North Cayuga Street, in the DeWitt Park Historic District. Commissioners said a site visit and additional detail are needed before the commission can act on a final approval.

Carrie Ann Weaver, identified in the meeting as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, described the church’s need for a front-door accessible route for people using wheelchairs, scooters and strollers and said the church already has a rear lift but lacks a front approach. "Our hope was to make something that felt more natural so that the pathway leading up to that door would feel more like a part of the landscape front," Weaver said. The applicants presented a meandering,…