Press Bay Alley - Adaptive reuse that inspires expansion

118 W Green St, Ithaca, NY 14850

Press Bay Alley is a unique and vibrant retail development located at the heart of Downtown Ithaca. This shopping experience offers a series of micro-retail spaces that are housed in a converted row of storage bays. These bays once bordered the former Press Bay, where The Ithaca Journal newspaper was printed. This historic location is now home to a diverse collection of entrepreneurs, makers, and doers, all contributing their energy to create a dynamic and engaging environment.

Press Bay Alley was developed by John Guttridge and David Kuckuk, founders of Urban Core, an urban property development and operating company. The company’s mission is to create “engaging urban spaces and buildings that draw people in with a sense of delight while also being practical for community use and enjoyment in their daily lives.” When Guttridge and Kuckuk first began conceptualizing the alley, they anticipated some turnover because of the properties’ compact spaces. But the alley was met with community praise and foot traffic. The high density of local businesses - each with their own distinct visual signatures - draws passersby from W Green Street into the space. When the alley experienced an extended period of stability, Guttridge and Kuckuk bought land for Press Bay Court - another set of micro-retail spaces adjacent to the alley - in 2017. Like the alley, the court was mostly empty, except for one residential tenant and a dilapidated apartment. The planning and execution of the court took approximately two years, and the redeveloped space debuted in January 2019. Some businesses that currently operate out of the Press Bay Alley and Press Bay Court include SewGreen, Thread Lightly, Empire Raw, Sparks & Embers, Upcycled, and The Gallery. At the heart of Press Bay Alley is Circus Culture, the county's only circus performance school, adding to the eclectic mix of businesses in this one-of-a-kind retail space.

Visit the Press Bay Alley website to learn more about Urban Core and the businesses in the alley.

Read more about the development of Press Bay Alley in this article from the Ithacan.

Read about past and present businesses operating out of Press Bay Alley in Tompkins Weekly.