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Shift Capital lays out 95‑acre "South Works" vision, seeks infrastructure funding to unlock adaptive reuse
Summary
Developers presented a conceptual master plan for the 95‑acre South Works site, describing entitlement for about 915 housing units, adaptive‑reuse strategies, a sustainability framework including microgrid and stormwater plans, and reliance on a $38 million state ACHIEVE grant and other public funding to build core infrastructure.
Developers and consultants presented a long‑range vision for South Works on June 23 to the Ithaca Planning & Development Board: a 95‑acre redevelopment that mixes adaptive reuse of historic industrial buildings with new housing, public amenities and large infrastructure upgrades.
Rob Lewis, development project manager for the South Works team, told the board the overall effort anticipates roughly 915 housing units across the site’s developable acreage and plans to blend restored factory buildings with new construction. "Of those 95 acres, if you... ignore what's built and what's too steep to build on, you've really got 32 acres that you can do something new with," Lewis said to the board.
The team emphasized sustainability and infrastructure. Sarah Barton (community outreach and leasing) described guidelines developed with Bureau Happold for energy, water and materials and said the project is aiming for microgrid capability and net‑zero readiness. Jamie Genzale of Tighe & Bond walked the board through a stormwater approach that emphasizes slowing flows and using both green and gray infrastructure as part of a future sitewide utility and road package.
Presenters highlighted grant and agency support: the project is working with state and federal partners, and the team cited an ACHIEVE grant award (the developers said it is roughly $38 million) plus $5 million the team described as state housing infrastructure funds that will help remediate roofs, asbestos and lead paint and construct primary roads and utilities that unlock later subprojects.
Board members welcomed the scope and suggested areas that will need follow‑up as subprojects come forward: stronger façade articulation and break points to avoid long, flat building faces; explicit protected bicycle infrastructure in the road cross sections; and careful staging and coordination so early housing and commercial projects do not unduly burden neighborhoods. Jamie and the team said many details (road sections, specific amenity designs) will be refined as each subproject seeks site‑specific approvals.
Why it matters: the South Works site spans city and town lines and has long been discussed as a major redevelopment opportunity. The team framed the work as iterative: early restoration and utility upgrades will enable a sequence of smaller, mixed‑income projects and community amenity spaces that the developers said will include workforce development and public trails.
Next steps: the developers said they will bring multiple subprojects and site plan applications before the board in coming months. Board members asked for more detailed cross‑sections and an illustrative circulation plan that shows pedestrian, bike, service and construction movements so future project approvals can be judged in the context of the whole plan.
