Tompkins County hearing draws residents urging condos and sparking preservation debate at old library site

Mike Lane, chair of the Tompkins County Legislature and chair of the Legislature’s Old Library Committee, opened a public hearing and framed the meeting as part of the county’s effort to determine a reuse strategy for the vacant old library building in downtown Ithaca.

The building has not served as a library since 1999, when the Tompkins County Public Library moved to a renovated former Woolworths building. Lane told attendees the county issued a Request for Expressions of Interest in December 2013 and received six responses; one proposer, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing, later withdrew to pursue another site. An earlier Holt Architects study, Lane said, estimated converting the old library into a new government center would top $20,000,000 and was not financially feasible after the 2008 recession. Lane said the committee has interviewed proposers and will use public input to shape a future request for proposals (RFP).

Much of the hour-long public comment period favored a condominium project on the site. Peggy Haney (public commenter) urged development of for-sale condominiums to rebalance the city’s owner-occupied-to-rental ratio and to provide housing for retirees and working families. "There is need, ability to pay, and a demand for downtown owner-occupied housing, and therefore, a strong market for downtown condominiums," Haney said, citing a 2014 Danford Report that she said showed demand for 104 to 142 ownership units per year and suggested price ranges of about $150,000 to $400,000.

Susan Shabasinski read remarks submitted by Penny Gold and Moosewood restaurant co-owners Jenny Riley and others, arguing that a for-sale project would bring full-time residents who support downtown businesses. A representative of the County Office for the Aging summarized a senior housing preferences survey reporting that nearly half of older respondents intend to move within one to five years and many prefer condominiums; the representative also said a petition backing the condo proposal contained roughly 200 names.

Several other speakers voiced support for condos as a way to help older residents downsize but remain in the community and to strengthen the tax base and neighborhood vitality. Anne Sullivan and Dr. Sharon Ziegler said proximity to transit, schools and services would benefit a range of residents; Ziegler said condos could support ‘‘aging in place’’ where concentrated services become more viable.

Not all commenters supported demolition or private development. Bob Rossi urged renovation and cautioned against losing the building’s historic character. Anne Sullivan also cautioned that preservation for its own sake should not prevent practical reuse and noted past asbestos issues in the building.

Lane closed by thanking the roughly 28 speakers, encouraging written comments via the county website or at future meetings, and saying the public input will help the committee refine the RFP and subsequent procurement steps. No formal motion or vote occurred during the hearing.

The Old Library Committee will incorporate public comments into the RFP process and continue interviews with proposers; the committee said the building will become available for lease or sale once county offices relocate to a new addition planned to be finished in about a year.