Conifer West Hill Traditional Neighborhood Development

Conifer Realty, LLC is a Rochester, NY based, nationally ranked, full-service real estate company specializing in the development, construction, management, and ownership of high-quality, affordable housing communities. Conifer is working with the Town of Ithaca and a local design team to develop an innovative neighborhood on 50 acres on West Hill. Located adjacent to the city line and off Mecklenburg Road, the project aims to create a mixed-use neighborhood combining residential, commercial, and civic spaces to foster a lively, inclusive, and economically viable community. It will offer diverse housing options such as single-family homes, townhouses, and multi-unit apartments, catering to various income levels, household sizes, and life stages. In a continuously growing housing market, the project’s size and proximity to the City of Ithaca make it a convenient option for any resident working in the city, or nearby Cayuga Medical Center. Strategically located commercial spaces will provide essential services and retail opportunities within walking distance, creating a walkable “Main Street”, reducing the volume of traffic to Downtown Ithaca and boosting local economic activity.  The site lies adjacent to the Town Parks (shown below), currently inaccessible except by foot.  The new neighborhood will tie into this valuable community amenity, providing access for all Town residents to enjoy the open and forested green space.

This new vibrant, pedestrian-friendly neighborhood will integrate residential, commercial, and civic spaces through a development encompassing three neighborhood zones: Neighborhood Edge, Neighborhood General, and Neighborhood Center. These zones are defined by the Town of Ithaca New Neighborhood Code, adopted in 2020. This will be the first project within the Town to seek public input and approvals since the code was adopted. The design team will work with the community to envision the layout and design of the neighborhood during two upcoming public charrette sessions (a charrette is a collaborative planning or design session with stakeholders to help inform local development projects and to solicit public feedback on proposed designs and layouts).

Process Timeline

Previous Public Charrette Sessions

Thank you to all who have participated in our previous public charrette sessions. Please use the links below for more information on these sessions:

Public Charrette 1 – Wednesday, August 28, 5pm – 7pm

Sustainability Charrette – Friday, November 22, 3pm – 6pm

Public Charrette 2 – Wednesday, January 15, 4pm – 7pm

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About Conifer

Founded in 1975, Conifer Realty maintains offices in Rochester, NY, Boston, MA, Mount Laurel, NJ, and Columbia, MD, while expanding into new markets across the Northeast and Southeast to fulfill the pressing need for high-quality, affordable housing. The company has developed more than 21,000 affordable housing apartments across more than 300 residential communities.

Conifer has an existing presence in Ithaca as the owner and operator of the nearby Cayuga View Apartments, Linderman Creek Apartments, and Conifer Village at Ithaca. These communities offer affordable and senior housing, which are intended to be integrated into the proposed project. In addition, Conifer Realty owns and operates other residential developments within the Ithaca area including Conifer Village at Cayuga Meadows.

www.coniferllc.com

Design Partners

HOLT

Our work’s impact on human lives is at the core of everything we do. We are perpetually focused on adapting our work to the needs of those who inhabit it. From WELL Building, LEED, and Evidence-Based Design accredited staff, to designers who specialize in areas like behavioral health, women’s and children’s healthcare, education, and affordable housing — we know that our work acts as important touch points to those who encounter it.

We don’t just design buildings, we design places to live, learn, heal, and work, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

www.holt.com

WHITHAM

Established in 2010, Whitham Planning Design Landscape Architecture PLLC (WPD) is a design, planning, and project management firm located in Ithaca, New York. Our growing, dynamic team provides site design, municipal approvals coordination, public outreach, feasibility, custom design, and consultant-team coordination services. With a specific interest in urban and natural environments, we are engaged in private, municipal, and grant-funded projects, including streetscapes, parks, campuses, waterfronts, and historic properties. Our goal as we collaborate with regional municipalities, developers, architects, and engineers is to develop meaningful design responses to site context, social and ecological life, stakeholder interests, and project programming. As we shape the identity and experience of these shared spaces, we want our clients to feel taken care of and their stakeholders to feel heard.

www.whithamdesign.com

T.G. MILLER

T. G. Miller, P.C. is a local Civil Engineering and Land Surveying firm dedicated to serving the communities in which we work, live and play. We value the close, long-term relationships we develop with our clients. We provide our employees challenging career opportunities for our employees, while promoting work-life balance.

www.tgmillerpc.com

Conifer West Hill New Neighborhood Code FAQs