The Ithaca Arthaus was host to a ribbon cutting and open house Thursday, May 12th, 2022. The event was promoted by the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce as ‘Merriment & Mingling,’ with acting Mayor Lewis, developer Rick Manzardo of The Vecino Group & RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner of the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal in attendance.
The ribbon cutting event comes six months after tenants began occupying the Arthaus, with residents being reported as having moved in by November 3rd, 2021.
Many residents of Ithaca’s homeless encampments collectively referred to as ‘The Jungle’ were moved into the Arthaus. Issues with violence, theft, drug use and overdoses were immediate. A security guard was hired shortly thereafter.
The Arthaus is being touted as a successful model for low income housing. The 123 unit building cost $32 million, at a cost of approximately $260,000 per unit. The Arthaus project was the recipient of a number of grants and tax abatements.
Calls for police assistance to the Arthaus occur on a daily basis. A list of individuals banned from the building was posted by the Arthaus property management, threatening potential eviction to tenants who violated the decree.
Individuals on the list have arrests for sex offenses, criminal possession of a weapon, assault on corrections officers, manufacturing methamphetamine, theft, armed robbery and second-degree attempted arson.
Methamphetamine abuse is a common theme at the Arthaus, with the drug being dealt by tenants within the facility to other residents. Arthaus management is currently in the process of attempting to evict a number of individuals engaged in behavior that is deemed in violation of the lease agreement.
Attempts by Arthaus management to evict problem tenants has garnered protests from the Ithaca Tenants Union (ITU). The group has twice protested at the Mazza Law Offices, most recently on Friday the 13th, 2022. The approximately hour and half long protest included the group bullhorning the law office with chants and insults, as well writing on the sidewalk. The group does not believe in evictions, which they consider to be a form of State violence, nor in the paying of rent.
Among the ITU protestors was Tiffany Chen Kumar, Ward 4 Working Families Party candidate for Ithaca Common Council.
ITU graffiti singled out the Mazzas as a ‘family of landlords,’ in addition to objecting to the law firm’s work on evictions.
