On the morning of Friday, June 21, the Ithaca Fire Department responded to a smoke detector activation at the new Asteri building on Green Street. The source of the fire was determined to be an umbrella that was set on fire in the fifth-floor stairwell.
“Apparently one of our new tenants lit an umbrella on fire in the fifth-floor stairwell,” an Ithaca firefighter said over dispatch audio.
Thirty-nine homeless individuals were moved into the Asteri building earlier this month in a “housing surge.” The building contains 40 supportive housing units for individuals affected by homelessness, a 15,000 square foot conference center on its first two floors, in addition to 141 market rate apartments. Asteri is located directly next to Ithaca City Hall.
The Ithaca Fire Department summoned Ithaca Police Officers to investigate the circumstances of the fire, which appeared to have been deliberately set. Firefighters were able to vent smoke out of the building’s stairwell.
Asteri was built by The Vecino Group, which also owns and maintains the Arthaus building on Cherry Street. The Arthaus has been plagued with issues since it first opened, including a shooting, numerous drug arrests and two back-to-back arson fires that occurred within a span of 36 hours.
Ithaca Fire Department Chief Rob Covert and Ithaca Police Chief Thomas Kelly did not respond to requests for information about this incident and whether it is being investigated as arson.