Demolition is on
Demolition plans for the bridge over Green Street and the adjoining helix are still on, despite reports of nasty weather.
Ithaca, NY city clerk Julie Holcomb said that crews should still be able to work in the rain and high winds, though lightning will be a concern.
The two structures are being removed to make room for a retail, office and residential building planned for the spot.
Holcomb said they're not sure yet what the predicted stormy weather will mean for those hoping to get a glimpse of the demolition. A viewing area will be set up for the public in the parking lot adjacent to the Tompkins County Public Library.
“We're certainly not going to encourage people to come out in extreme weather,” Holcomb said.
For those who do hope to brave the elements, Holcomb noted that actual demolition won't start until an hour or two after the road is closed. Road closure is planned to begin after the evening rush hour, so the city is estimating that it will start between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“They have to put down sand and rubber mats to protect the street,” Holcomb said. That work will take some time but, once it's done, crews are expected to start the demolition by removing the walls on the bridge over Green Street.
Once the side walls are removed a machine called a whip-hammer, which is an oversized version of a jack hammer, will start chipping away at the concrete. The rubble is expected to drop onto the rubber mats covering the street and then be scooped up and trucked away.
The road closure has caused some concern for downtown businesses but Jennifer Pawlewicz, who recently moved her store Habitat to The Commons, said she's not too worried. With a host of activities planned for The Commons this weekend, including a visit from Santa Claus and 40 ice sculptures, she feels there are plenty of reasons for people to come downtown.
“There's a lot to do down here and a lot of ways to get here,” she said. “I think the problem is perceived to be worse than it is. Besides, the demolition will be fun to watch.”
The demolition will mark the loss of one piece of downtown development that was part of the first efforts to revitalize the area. Built in the 1970s, the helix and connecting bridge were a design element that complemented a parking lot needed once the decision was made to turn a section of State Street into The Commons.
“There was a recognition that downtowns were facing serious threats from outlying developments,” said Stuart Stein, a former professor of city planning at Cornell University who served on various City development boards around the time the garage was built.
He noted that once State Street was closed, the city had to create a traffic circulation pattern around The Commons and create parking. The Green Street garage, which took over a private parking lot and part of the Rothschild's department store, was built around the same time the Seneca Street garage was built on the site of the former City Hall and downtown fire station.
The garage still plays a role in providing parking downtown and the two outer sections will be repaired while the center one is rebuilt. The road closure is expected to last through Monday morning with signs indicating detour routes.
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