Yet another collegetown bar bites the dust

[Weder]

At some point this will be a dead forum because how many bars remain in Collegetown that can still go under?

Hardly any. I was there last month visiting a friend in grad school and all the spots I had in my head (i.e. Ruloff's) were gone. We actually had to go somewhere downtown for a relaxing place that wasn't an undergrad hangout spot. It's really too bad that bars such as Chapter House and the Nines no longer exist

At some point given retail rents in Ithaca it makes more sense to operate a bar downtown, which is still close enough to a good amount of Cornell undergrads and much closer to grad students, IC students and many locals — along with the folks who stay in downtown hotels.

[billhoward]

At some point this will be a dead forum because how many bars remain in Collegetown that can still go under?

Hardly any. I was there last month visiting a friend in grad school and all the spots I had in my head (i.e. Ruloff's) were gone. We actually had to go somewhere downtown for a relaxing place that wasn't an undergrad hangout spot. It's really too bad that bars such as Chapter House and the Nines no longer exist

As an alum who wants to do well by Cornell students and improve student life: How much would you need to spend to keep a good Collegetown bar afloat -- ten grand a month? Even if it's not tax deductible, it's the kind of beloved, grand gesture that'd make you want to redo the lyrics to Davy.

[David Harding]

At some point this will be a dead forum because how many bars remain in Collegetown that can still go under?

Hardly any. I was there last month visiting a friend in grad school and all the spots I had in my head (i.e. Ruloff's) were gone. We actually had to go somewhere downtown for a relaxing place that wasn't an undergrad hangout spot. It's really too bad that bars such as Chapter House and the Nines no longer exist

As an alum who wants to do well by Cornell students and improve student life: How much would you need to spend to keep a good Collegetown bar afloat -- ten grand a month? Even if it's not tax deductible, it's the kind of beloved, grand gesture that'd make you want to redo the lyrics to Davy.

You could buy the old Carriage House for $1,095,000.  https://commercial.century21.com/listing/305-stewart-avenue-ithaca-ny-14850-REN016750091  
Johnny's location is available to rent, but they don't say how much.  https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/202-204-Dryden-Rd-Ithaca-NY/23921308/

[upprdeck]

I see a big sold sign on the Joes corner..  anyone heard whats happening down there?

[David Harding]

Ithaca Ghost Kitchen https://cornellsun.com/2021/03/07/ithaca-ghost-kitchen-a-pandemic-restaurant-done-right/  Across the street from where the Chapter House should be.

Well said, sir.

I see Cornell Giving Day Thursday did not extend to crowdfunding a new Chapter House lease and management.

The photo has nothing to do with the article,but here's a current shot of the replacement buildings.  

[Trotsky]

I miss the Chapter House.  And the Chariot.

The demise of C-Town and the green space on campus truly sucks.  Trantor won.  

But I never saw the elm trees, so I never really saw Cornell anyway.

[billhoward]

There was mass planting of trees in the 1970s -- an Asian species suited to Ithaca's climate? gingko trees? -- but I don't recall there ever being a time when East Avenue, the main road through campus, ever approached having an arched canopy. Meanwhile, Princeton has hundreds of elm trees along one of its roads, the one where some of the rec sports are played.

Does anyone recall if the replacement trees ever took hold, if there was a mass die-off, or if they just weren't able to attain the same heights as the storied elms?

[Scersk '97]

But I never saw the elm trees, so I never really saw Cornell anyway.

Beneath green elms with branches bowed...

Der Schmerz!

[Trotsky]

There was mass planting of trees in the 1970s -- an Asian species suited to Ithaca's climate? gingko trees? -- but I don't recall there ever being a time when East Avenue, the main road through campus, ever approached having an arched canopy. Meanwhile, Princeton has hundreds of elm trees along one of its roads, the one where some of the rec sports are played.

Does anyone recall if the replacement trees ever took hold, if there was a mass die-off, or if they just weren't able to attain the same heights as the storied elms?

IINM the Aggies have been beavering away for decades trying to design elms that survive whatever the Dutch plague was.  I mean, I assume they will eventually figure it out... the same time Day Hall declares no grass or trees will be permitted on campus because they do not have a sufficiently high ROI per mm².

[Trotsky]

But I never saw the elm trees, so I never really saw Cornell anyway.

Beneath green elms with branches bowed...

I wake at night and think I hear remembered chimes.
And mem'ry brings in visions clear Enchanted times.
Beneath green elms with branches bowed,
In springtime suns,
Or touching elbows in a crowd
Of eager ones.
Again, I'm hurrying past the tow'rs
Or with the teams,
Or spending precious idling hours in golden dreams.

[Scersk '97]

But I never saw the elm trees, so I never really saw Cornell anyway.

Beneath green elms with branches bowed...

I wake at night and think I hear remembered chimes.

In my Glee Club alum incarnation, I desperately miss singing this particular Cornell song at the Chariot.

But the only golden dreams I dream of are ECAC championships.

[George64]

I wake at night and think I hear remembered chimes.
And mem'ry brings in visions clear Enchanted times.
Beneath green elms with branches bowed,
In springtime suns,
Or touching elbows in a crowd
Of eager ones.
Again, I'm hurrying past the tow'rs
Or with the teams,
Or spending precious idling hours in golden dreams.

Beautiful memories.  Thank you.

[Cornell95]

One of the species that was planted as a potential replacemennt was the Zelcova Serrata
There was a substantial number planted, I distinctly remember a bunch in front of Lincoln on the Arts quad

They unfortunately don't reach the same towering height, and while they do have a similar vase shape that would create the desired 'arch' form over narrower spans, they also didnt handle snow/ice load as well and were known to split badly. While I was on campus in the 90s it seemed like every other one had been 'saved' with cabling

I recall there were several research efforts to find resistant cultivars... but it is a serious endeavor and the time required for research, commercialization and then growth to a mature replacement size tree is multiple decades of effort. There are of course additional emerging disease issues hitting other species now (the Ash tree will be practically non-existent in the NorthEast in the next 5 years).

[Scersk '97]

One of the species that was planted as a potential replacemennt was the Zelcova Serrata
There was a substantial number planted, I distinctly remember a bunch in front of Lincoln on the Arts quad

They unfortunately don't reach the same towering height, and while they do have a similar vase shape that would create the desired 'arch' form over narrower spans, they also didnt handle snow/ice load as well and were known to split badly. While I was on campus in the 90s it seemed like every other one had been 'saved' with cabling

I recall there were several research efforts to find resistant cultivars... but it is a serious endeavor and the time required for research, commercialization and then growth to a mature replacement size tree is multiple decades of effort. There are of course additional emerging disease issues hitting other species now (the Ash tree will be practically non-existent in the NorthEast in the next 5 years).

I think my solution would be to widen the tree planting verge (whatever you want to call it—by the road) and go with oaks, but then they are a bit randomly shed-dy of branches at inopportune moments. And lots of moving sidewalks, etc. Whatever works. Just no puff-ball dwarfs, dammit!

What's happening to ashes is a tragedy. Lost three huge ones along our neighbor's back fence (southern CT) just this year.

[RichH]

Huh. Hadn't heard (or forgot) about this:

https://cornellsun.com/2022/02/24/ip-yay-ithaca-beer-co-opens-new-collegetown-location/

A quote from an early patron: "Here, I can sit down with my friends and grab a beer and pizza, which is not an experience I really had before."

Didn't have that experience. IN COLLEGETOWN.