LANSING, N.Y. — Cayuga Health plans to redevelop the former retail space at The Shops at Ithaca Mall into a new mixed-use health-care facility. Plans will also include the development of a new health-education center in partnership with Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College. The health-care system on March 15 announced that […]
LANSING, N.Y. — Cayuga Health plans to redevelop the former retail space at The Shops at Ithaca Mall into a new mixed-use health-care facility.
Plans will also include the development of a new health-education center in partnership with Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins Cortland Community College.
The health-care system on March 15 announced that it bought 108,000 square feet of space at The Shops at Ithaca Mall and proposes to redevelop, relocate, and consolidate existing medical practices into one location.
The organization says it spent $8.5 million to acquire the former big-box retail parcels where Bon Ton and Sears previously operated, per its news release.
Cayuga Health contends the move is “making access more convenient for patients.” The health system plans to lease some of the space to prospective new vendors as well.
The Shops at Ithaca Mall is located at 40 Catherwood Road, near Route 13 in the village of Lansing.
“We see this capital expansion as a necessary next step in our strategic plan as we continue to reimagine our operations by making health care more accessible to everyone in the communities we serve,” Dr. Martin Stallone, president & CEO of Cayuga Health, said in the release. “This acquisition allows us to consolidate existing practices into one location for efficiency and improved patient access. We have been operating at The Shops at Ithaca Mall since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and it has been proven to be a valuable location within the community and for our health system.”
Cayuga Health acquired the property from an ownership group that includes Mason Asset Management and Namdar Realty Group, two Long Island–based real-estate investment companies that oversee leasing and management efforts at the mall.
“We are thrilled to welcome Cayuga Health as a permanent fixture of The Shops at Ithaca,” said Elliot Nassim, president at Mason Asset Management, which is responsible for leasing efforts at the mall. “Our team has worked closely with Cayuga Health over the last few years and is excited to see that relationship we’ve built come to fruition in a way that will benefit the community and create a mixed-used shopping experience offering convenience for many people.”
Cayuga Health has retained HOLT Architects of Ithaca to lead the redevelopment plans for the newly acquired space. Renderings of the designs will be on display at The Shops of Ithaca Mall for anyone interested in seeing the new capital-project planning.
“Malls around America were a beacon of success for decades, unfortunately with increased globalization and ecommerce they have seen a decline,” Tom LiVigne, chairman of the Cayuga Health board of directors, said. “Adapting and reusing big-box retail space like this supports our local economy, including The Shops at Ithaca Mall, by driving increased foot traffic to the businesses remaining and prospects.”
Cayuga Health has been occupying the retail space since March 2020 when it identified the facility as an “ideal location for critical” COVID-19 operations.
Its partnership started with the opening of a mass drive-through COVID testing center, which “proved to be essential during the height of pandemic.” The partnership expanded with an indoor vaccination clinic (the previous Sears location), occupying 200,000 square feet when the vaccines became available for distribution.