Last Wednesday at Rose Cafe, Lisa Nicholas came to talk about trends in Ithaca’s economic development. As a Cornelian, I feel that it is important to stay informed about the challenges facing our community.

I was amazed to hear that recently, Tompkins country was the only county in upstate New York reporting a gain in population, and that Tompkins’ population trends have been steadily rising since 1950. However, the City of Ithaca’s population has stayed the same, and that was puzzling. The 0.5% vacancy rate and high rental costs explain why: it definitely explains Collegetown’s expensive apartments. I learned that because there is a shortage of housing, Ithaca will need to focus on compact development in order to sustain growth. In addition, within the next year, Ithaca will have a new Hilton and Marriott Hotel.

With development and growth also comes uncertainty and resistance: residents opposed a proposal for a large building meant for student housing on the grounds that it would overwhelm the Commons, and expressed concerns over what a new Marriott Hotel meant for the Commons as a community center for its residents. However, Ithaca’s rapid growth demands changes, and with careful planning, Ithaca can only grow to be an even more vibrant city.

This talk was very insightful for me because previously, I never imagined Ithaca to be a rapidly growing, developing city. Day in, day out, it feels like I am living in a Cornell bubble, and I realize that I want to spend more time exploring the commons and Ithaca city life. Ithaca is a beautiful city, and I want to enjoy it as much as I can as a student.