Converted Parochial School Provides Sustainable, Supportive Housing in Ithaca

The Founders Way development transformed a former school into a vibrant mixed-use community near downtown Ithaca. Photo credit: SWBR Architects

Ithaca, home to Cornell University, is the seat of Tompkins County, New York, and has a growing population of more than 32,000. There is a pronounced need for affordable housing in Ithaca, where 33 percent of residents live at or below the federal poverty level, and in the county as a whole, where renters and vulnerable populations experience affordability challenges and a growing number of residents are experiencing homelessness. One project, Founders Way, redeveloped a parochial school into a mixed-use, affordable community with sustainable construction and supportive housing to meet local needs.

Adaptive Reuse

Founders Way is near downtown Ithaca on the 2-acre campus of the former Immaculate Conception School. After 133 years, the school closed in 2017 because of falling enrollment, and in 2018, its owners placed the property up for sale. A local developer, Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS), purchased the property in 2019. The project was fully funded by the end of 2020, began construction in 2021, and opened in November 2022.

"[Our] vision for the site was to retain as much of the school building as we could and restore the residential streetscape to the extent that we could," said Lynn Truame, director of real estate development at INHS. Before redevelopment, the property had four structures: the school building, consisting of a southern wing built in the 1920s and a northern wing dating to the 1940s; a gymnasium built in 1965; a 20th-century residential building with two apartments; and a Greek Revival-style home at 330 West Buffalo Street dating to approximately 1850 that once served as the parish priest's home.

Working with architectural firm Stream Collaborative for the initial design and land use approval process, INHS retained the northern wing of the school and replaced the southern wing with a new four-story wing. The resulting L-shaped building has 67 affordable units. The former priest's home was preserved and converted to two affordable apartments. In addition, two new townhouse buildings consisting of six units total were built where historic maps showed that housing once stood. The former gymnasium was sold to the city of Ithaca.

A Sustainable and Supportive Community

Founders Way's 75 affordable housing units include 7 studios and 1 four-bedroom, 10 three-bedroom, 23 two-bedroom, and 34 one-bedroom units, all of which are reserved for families earning between 30 percent and 100 percent of the area median income (AMI). The site also has two commercial spaces occupied by local nonprofit organizations. The development is located near transit and an elementary school.

Founders Way reserves 13 units for individuals exiting homelessness, with 6 of these units reserved for survivors of domestic violence and 7 for youth aged 18 to 25. The state funds these units through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI), and the units are available to households earning up to 30 percent of AMI. There are two studios and one 3-bedroom, one 2-bedroom, and nine 1-bedroom apartments for these households.

Two townhouse buildings containing six rental units were also constructed on the property. Photo credit: SWBR Architects

Residents of the ESSHI-funded units can access support services from the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army engages The Learning Web, an education-focused nonprofit that occupies one of the development's commercial units and supports resident youth who have experienced homelessness. The Salvation Army also engages the nearby nonprofit Advocacy Center to support survivors of domestic violence.

In addition, nine units are set aside for individuals who have an intellectual or developmental disability (I/DD). These residents can access support services through the Racker Center, a long-term service provider for area residents with I/DD. Four units in the building are accessible to mobility-impaired individuals, with roll-in showers, lowered work surfaces, and accessible kitchen sinks. Two units are designed for residents with visual or hearing impairments and include features such as doorbell cameras, strobe lights, and doorbell alarms.

The development also has several sustainability features. The project meets the requirements of Ithaca's Energy Code Supplement as well as the Enterprise Green Communities and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority New Construction certification programs. The project features LED lights with occupancy sensors in common areas, internal heat recovery ventilation, ENERGY STAR^® appliances, and WaterSense-compliant plumbing.

Financing

The total project cost for Founders Way was $27.8 million. Major funding sources for the residential portion of the project included $4.2 million from the Community Preservation Corporation, a nonprofit multifamily lender, $9.73 million in equity from 9 percent federal low-income housing tax credits, and $3.56 million from the New York State Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program. Other sources include the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, the New York State Housing Trust Fund Corporation, and the state's Middle Income Housing Program.

The development also received funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York's Affordable Housing Program, and through the New York State HOME Program. The commercial portion of the project was financed with a mix of sources, including $590,000 from the New York State Rural and Urban Community Investment Fund.

Positive Results

The redevelopment of the Immaculate Conception School into Founders Way represents an innovative contribution to Ithaca's affordable housing supply. The project aligns with Ithaca's sustainable development goals and contributes to Tompkins County's plan to expand supportive housing. Founders Way meets local needs with an eye to the community's past and future.