On Wednesday February 10, I had the opportunity to hear Lisa Nicholas from City Planning of Ithaca, talk about developments around the city. As a student who enjoys the Ithaca Commons and the natural beauty of Ithaca, I was interested in what the future may hold.  The last time I visited the Commons, I learnt about the construction of the new hotel. However, I was unaware of the plans to build a new hotel in a fairly small plot, near the entrance of the Commons. Although I was aware of what city planners do, I did not have a deep knowledge of how they make decisions. The Rose Cafe series was very helpful in broadening my knowledge about city planning.

I have to admit, I do not take as much time to roam around and enjoy Ithaca as much as I would like to. After going to this event, I learnt about the long stretch of pedestrian path along the water. In addition we have the wonderful Commons which is one of the few completely pedestrian roads still left in the country. There is a lot of effort into making sure that the personality of the Commons is consistent. We learnt about how a project to build a new apartment building near the Commons was not accepted. The original plans tired to fill the entire lot without giving much space for pedestrians. While it may have had more apartments, the building itself would take away from the personality of the Commons. It would take away from the welcoming nature of the Commons. The city planners try to balance both the prospects of having more apartments and making Ithaca a beautiful city. Overall, this Rose Cafe Series was very informative about the improvements made across Ithaca.