SouthWorks Open House

Welcome to SouthWorks Open House!

Come join us for a fun day touring our site, meeting future tenants, sharing your story and learning our future vision for the campus. SouthWorks Open House is your chance to get an inside look at what we do and how we do it. Whether you're a curious neighbor, a past employee of the site, or looking to be a part of SouthWorks this event is perfect for you! More information about the project can be found on our website: https://southworksithaca.com/.

Site tours will take place every hour. Please note that closed-toed shoes without a heel are required to participate. The tour involves walking approximately half a mile and includes stairs. ADA-accessible restrooms will be available.

Site access via S. Aurora St. entrance (across from the South Hill Elementary School Playground) or TCAT Route 65

The Site

SouthWorks is a 95-acre site at 620 South Aurora Street in Ithaca, New York. Once home to Morse Chain and later Emerson Power Transmission, it has been vacant since 2012. Over the past decade, significant remediation has been conducted, bringing the site in compliance with NYS DEC residential standards. Now in redevelopment, the site will feature over 800,000 square feet of commercial space throughout the adaptively reused historic buildings and about 1 million square feet of new construction, predominantly residential. “We’re excited about the dynamic mix of uses planned for this site, from apartments and restaurants to manufacturing,” said Development Project Manager Robert Lewis. “We’re especially thrilled to welcome Found, who are poised to bring fresh energy and new life to SouthWorks.”

FOUND in Ithaca

Renovations are underway to welcome the first tenant, FOUND in Ithaca—an antique mall and beloved local business currently located at 227 Cherry Street. Their new space at SouthWorks will double the business’s footprint and allow for an expanded number of dealers. “Found in Ithaca needs a new home, and we're so excited to have found the perfect one: SouthWorks!” said owner Vanessa Weber. “The funky industrial aesthetic, the size, the more visible location (with a fabulous view), and the awesome team behind the redevelopment made choosing SouthWorks a no-brainer. We hope to celebrate our next 15+ years here and more.”

Empowerment Center

Later this year, or early next year, work will begin on the Empowerment Center, the northernmost building on the site with anticipated occupancy in mid-to late-2026. The first floor will house a daycare with 144 childcare slots operated by First Learning, an experienced childcare provider with multiple locations in the Greater Rochester area. The rest of the building will be home to a construction incubator & workforce development training space managed collaboratively by Livingston Associates and Ascend Workforce Solutions. Their footprint will include flexible office space for local and regional construction firms, as well as classroom and workshop space to support internal and community-wide training programs and create career pathways to trade jobs on the site.

Photo Credits: Libby Hedrick