Campus architecture

[David Harding]

A few tidbits on campus architecture:
A remake of Rand Hall as fine arts library, with a major change to the exterior.  http://ithacavoice.com/2015/05/cornell-unveils-design-renderings-of-fine-arts-library/
University suees Pei Cobb Freed & Partners over flaws in Johnson Museum addition.  http://ithacavoice.com/2015/05/cornell-sues-world-famous-architect-i-m-pei-over-johnson-museum-of-art/
Gannett Health Center expension.  http://ithacavoice.com/2015/05/55-million-health-center-rising-on-cornells-campus-2/
Another monster apartment building in Collegetown http://ithacavoice.com/2015/06/work-begins-on-6-story-building-in-ithacas-collegetown/

[Rosey]

Another monster apartment building in Collegetown http://ithacavoice.com/2015/06/work-begins-on-6-story-building-in-ithacas-collegetown/

A lot more than one monster apartment building is needed to bring rents back to sane levels on the hill.

[Robb]

Another monster apartment building in Collegetown http://ithacavoice.com/2015/06/work-begins-on-6-story-building-in-ithacas-collegetown/

A lot more than one monster apartment building is needed to bring rents back to sane levels on the hill.

What are rents these days?  When I was there (90-94), $300/person/month would get you a crappy dive, but I have no clue how much the luxe apartments in C-town were going for - never even considered going that route.

[Tom Lento]

Another monster apartment building in Collegetown http://ithacavoice.com/2015/06/work-begins-on-6-story-building-in-ithacas-collegetown/

A lot more than one monster apartment building is needed to bring rents back to sane levels on the hill.

What are rents these days?  When I was there (90-94), $300/person/month would get you a crappy dive, but I have no clue how much the luxe apartments in C-town were going for - never even considered going that route.

I got curious so I just did a quick search. $2300 for a 2-bedroom in one of those big C-town buildings on Dryden between College and Eddy, $800 for a room in an 8 bedroom group housing unit, and $1300 for a studio/1-br. Pricing on 3 and 4 bedroom units wasn't available because they're all rented out. That's eye-popping compared with 15 years ago when I was paying $575/month for a 1-bedroom in a house about 4 blocks from there. I seem to remember rents in those buildings were always pretty high by area standards but I'd be surprised if a 2-BR was more than $1500 back then.

By pure chance* the Lakeland Apartment complex popped up as one of the top hits. I lived in a 3 bedroom there and I seem to remember rent being about $350/month plus utilities (~$1300 for all 3 of us because I don't think it was an even split). Looks like it's up to $1450 for a 2-bedroom. I don't remember what those were going for but I think it was around $1100/month.

* Probably not pure chance, actually. I ended up living there because it was the only affordable option available to us lazy-ass cheapskates. We didn't start looking for housing until mid-March, so I'm guessing their target markets haven't shifted much.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Back when I was a lad...
 
In '80-'82, I lived in a three bedroom apartment on Dryden Rd. with hot and cold running cockroaches right around the corner from Dunbar's.  This was when there was still a park across the street. We each paid $140/month.

Times change.

[billhoward]

If Cornell does not yet have parity with BU in Red Hot Hockey, off-campus apartment rents are coming close. The difference is when you get a half-mile from campus in Ithaca, you can't sustain those rent levels.

[David Harding]

That was quick.  Five buildings on the south side of Dryden Road east of College Ave are down  http://ithacavoice.com/2015/06/5-ithaca-buildings-demolished-sites-future-unclear/, including the Palms.

[Trotsky]

Back when I was a lad...
 
In '80-'82, I lived in a three bedroom apartment on Dryden Rd. with hot and cold running cockroaches right around the corner from Dunbar's.  This was when there was still a park across the street. We each paid $140/month.

Times change.

'82-83 on Dryden Road, practically across from the purple piano: two bedrooms, $250 each, and we thought we were being robbed.

For perspective, the single year I lived in Albany I had a room with smaller dimensions than a UHall single, and paid $99 flat, including utilities.

"Do you see this quarter? It used to be a nickel."

[George64]

Cornell's ever-changing campus.

[Trotsky]

Cornell's ever-changing campus.

Really good article, thank you.

Eng revisions look good.  Hard to process that.

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

Cornell's ever-changing campus.

Really good article, thank you.

Eng revisions look good.  Hard to process that.

I'm going to miss the big yellow, green, and red panels.  The joke about color-coding the buildings doesn't work as well with just tiny stripes.

[RichH]

Cornell's ever-changing campus.

Really good article, thank you.

Eng revisions look good.  Hard to process that.

I would rebuke you with a comment about how it looks like a boxy stack of corrugated cardboard, but almost anything is better than what had been there.

[Scersk '97]

Cornell's ever-changing campus.

Really good article, thank you.

Eng revisions look good.  Hard to process that.

I would rebuke you with a comment about how it looks like a boxy stack of corrugated cardboard, but almost anything is better than what had been there.

It smacks of "exterior cladding fad that will look dated very soon and disappoints when applied with such overwhelming uniformity." Looks like an "office park of the future!" past. What's so wrong with brick and stone?

Plus, it looks like we're back to hating windows again, a fad that takes hold every time our society makes ill-targeted attempts at conservation. Who doesn't like an arrow-slit window for an office!

[Trotsky]

Who doesn't like an arrow-slit window for an office!

You laugh now but they're going to come in handy when the Mongols invade.

[George64]

Plus, it looks like we're back to hating windows again, a fad that takes hold every time our society makes ill-targeted attempts at conservation.

I think that you're overstating things.  Consider recent Cornell construction -- Veterinary School expansion, Klarman Hall, Physical Sciences Building, Milstein Hall, or the new buildings on Roosevelt Island.  I remember when many of the windows in the original Engineering Quad buildings were covered over with aluminum foil because apparently sunlight interfered with whatever went on inside.