The Ithaca Redevelopment Agency board authorized staff to issue a request for expressions of interest (RFEI) for part or all of a six-acre parcel at the end of Cherry Street and approved procurement of geotechnical and appraisal services to support potential dispositions.

The Economic Development Committee recommended the step after describing the site: the agency and the city together control roughly 12 acres in the area, and the IRA controls six acres at the Cherry Street dead end. The committee said two recent inquiries for parts of the parcel prompted the RFEI to gauge market interest without asking developers for a full, detailed proposal.

“Nels” (staff) described the parcel’s physical constraints and prior due diligence: past testing done when a prospective user called Emmy’s considered the site was specific to that user’s lightweight, single-story building concept and therefore is not sufficient for broader development that could include taller, heavier structures permitted by zoning. He said soils in the area include dredged materials placed during flood-control work and that additional geotechnical information would reduce the risk of late-stage foundation problems. He also said an open-water wetland at the back of the site will be retained by the city and not redeveloped.

Board members discussed whether to emphasize housing or light manufacturing as a preferred use in outreach; the Economic Development Committee ultimately included a preferred use language emphasizing housing. Two expressions of interest received so far were reported as proposals for parts of the parcel rather than the whole site.

The board approved a resolution authorizing issuance of an RFEI for the Cherry Street parcel and a separate resolution authorizing procurement of geotechnical and appraisal services if needed. Staff said the industrial-park account would be the likely funding source for procurement; that account holds about $140,000. The procurement resolution specifies geotech services and appraisal work so staff can respond quickly if an offer materializes.

Votes
- Authorization to issue a request for expressions of interest for part or all of the six-acre Cherry Street parcel: moved, seconded, approved (unanimous). The resolution authorizes staff to seek preliminary interest that could lead to direct negotiations or a later RFP.
- Resolution authorizing procurement of geotechnical and appraisal services: moved, seconded, approved (unanimous). Staff said funds would come from the agency’s industrial-park account (about $140,000 available).

Clarifying details and constraints noted during discussion included the need for broader geotechnical data beyond the Emmy’s-specific testing, a previously approved subdivision/paper street that may affect whether a public road is required, potential grant or city funding options to build a road, and preservation of the wetland and Black Diamond Trail alignment along the flood-control channel.

Ending
Staff said the RFEI is intended to be a light-touch first step to determine market interest and that additional steps — environmental review, geotech testing, appraisal, and possible RFP or negotiations — would follow as warranted.