Lisa Nicholas was kind enough to be our guest speaker at the Rose Cafe last week and talk about the new innovations that are happening in our very own Ithaca Commons. Very soon there will be two new hotels, a Marriot and a Hilton, on either side of the Commons and not surprisingly this is causing the local Ithaca community to worry about the impact they will have.

When the Commons was first created, the Mayor of Ithaca had many local business owners and family members stand along the length of a long red ribbon and share in cutting it as a symbol of community. There are not many large food or clothes shops in the area, but overall it is a nice place within walking distance to stroll through with friends, family, and loved ones. The idea that locals interact with one another on a daily basis and college students spend time there to separate themselves from campus for a little bit demonstrates that the place offers a unifying  experience.

With the new construction of hotels, and the cost of staying in one for a night, there may be a dynamic change in regards to the feeling one gets when being in the Commons. Also, there is not a lot of room in terms of sidewalk space and seating areas, so a new influx of people may cause there to be a sense of overcrowding during the weekends or on breaks. On a more positive note, it will be good for the local businesses in that they will receive more customers. It will also provide for more lodging in terms of families that wish to visit their children in college during the year. Only time will tell how this new innovation in Ithaca will affect its residents and ambiance. For now, it is safe to say that the community is very strong and interconnected, so the fear of loosing that sense of integration will thus allow it to remain firm as time progresses.