10-14-2026 COWA MEETING

The City of Ithaca Common Council Committee of the Whole meeting on October 14, 2026, focused heavily on the closed Seneca Street parking garage and downtown parking and transit impacts. Staff reported that a prior engineering report estimated about $4.7 million in repairs, with staff estimating costs could approach $6 million, including roughly $500,000 for elevator work. A qualified bidder estimated demolition at $2 million; staff included a proposed $2.5 million demolition project in upcoming capital planning. The city had also used an emergency bid process to install scaffolding and debris netting, though no contractor or contract amount was stated. Staff described plans to return some parking to the community pending redevelopment, relocate the intercity bus stop to the 200 block of South Cayuga Street, purchase two eight-foot benches for that stop, and add 8–11 on-street parking spaces near the closed garage. The Seneca site had been transferred to the IURA for redevelopment, with a request for expressions of interest anticipated to close January 27. A council member urged the city to pause that process until a comprehensive parking study is completed, citing $143,000 reportedly remaining in capital project 857; no pause was voted on, and the garage discussion was deferred to the next Committee of the Whole meeting by unanimous consent.

The council also heard public comment on the Elm Street PUD and downtown parking, and advanced the Elm Street proposal for a later council vote on conceptual approval; this was not final project approval. A Lakeside Vista redevelopment proposal was presented, but no decision was recorded. No contract awards or vendor selections were identified. Separately, council voted unanimously to place a resolution concerning tenant conditions at the Asteria building on the November consent agenda; it calls on the property owner to address rent debt, evictions, tenant organizing access, and displacement damages.