Ground Broken for Addition to Large Pavilion in Stewart Park
Ithaca, NY — Wednesday, September 25, 2024: On Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, in Stewart Park, Friends of Stewart Park (FSP) and Wharton Studio Museum(WSM) held a Groundbreaking to mark the beginning of construction of a new Addition to the back of the historic Picnic "Large" Pavilion. Officials from the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County officials, FSP and WSM board members, and supporters gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking.
Built in 1894, today the Picnic Pavilion is a popular venue for spring, summer and fall weddings, parties and other gatherings. In the summer, it is home base for Ithaca Youth Bureau’s Stewart Park Summer Day Camp which has operated out of the building for over 60 years. This new Addition creates safer and more accessible storage for equipment and supplies for Ithaca Youth Bureau’s Camp staff and campers. The build will also greatly enhance the aesthetic of the pavilion’s south facade.
The project also paves the way for the future Wharton Studio & Café in the Wharton Studio Building across the way, where camp equipment and supplies are currently housed. The lake-facing 1000 sq. feet of the historic Wharton Studio Building, a vibrant motion picture studio from 1915-1921, is being developed into exhibit space and a café that will bring to life and highlight the unique history of the building.
Funding for the approximately 900 square foot Picnic Pavilion Addition was provided by New York State through Assemblymember Anna Kelles with funds totaling $250,000; and by State Senator Lea Webb with a CREST grant totaling $120,000. Approximately $95,000 was raised through private donors.
At Monday’s noon Groundbreaking, remarks were made by members of FSP and WSM, as well as Common Council Member Pierre Saint-Perez (3rd Ward); Gregg Houck, Director of the Ithaca Youth Bureau; Jennifer Tavares, President of the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce; Cathy Emilian, District Office Director for Assemblymember Anna Kelles; Korin Kirk, Community Affairs Director for State Senator Lea Webb; and Jennifer Ahrens of Bero Architecture in Rochester who is leading the project. WL Kline is the construction company in charge of the project. The project is slated for completion by spring 2025 in time for the camp and rental season.
