With recent news of the brain drain in Upstate New York, it may seem like Ithaca is populated solely by college students and aging baby-boomers. But contrary to popular belief, the city and county are home to many young professionals. In fact, forgetting college students, about 19 percent of Ithaca is between 25 and 40 years old, according to Deb Mohlenhoff, chair of Ithaca Forward, a young professional networking group.And with Cornell’s attempt to attract newer, younger professors over the next few years, that number is likely to increase.
So how does this demographic like living in an area better known for the perpetual scent of patchouli than its nightclubs and urban atmosphere? The short answer seems to be that they love it.
“I’m thrilled. I couldn’t be happier to be here,” said Dan Smalls ’92, executive director of State Theater and a young professional. “The best part is the diversity in terms of how much a small town offers. It doesn’t feel like a big city, but there is culture here and intelligent conversation.”
Smalls, who has worked in the music and the entertainment industry since he was a student at Cornell, came back to Ithaca when he met his wife. Having been involved with activities in the downtown area as a student, he had a fondness for the city, which he said left him “looking for an excuse to come back.” Upon his return, he became the executive director of the State Theater and has since worked on infusing life into the once-vibrant establishment.
“One thing that was missing from Ithaca was a theater, and having been intricately involved with the State Theater has been great,” Smalls said, adding that the list of performers at the theater has become a lot larger and more diverse over the last few years.
Mohlenhoff said that the culture of Ithaca, which includes venues like the State Theater, is one of the things that young professionals like the most about the city.
“People really enjoy the variety of the types of activities you can have,” Mohlenhoff said. “It’s an incredibly cultural town. If you are interested in any type of theater or art or music, you can pretty much find whatever you want here, and it’s fairly reasonable [in price].”
She added that Ithaca’s wide variety of restaurants, especially around Aurora Street has become somewhat of a hangout for young professionals. The city’s commitment to the environment and the amount of recreational facilities that the lake and waterfall provide are also boons to the life of the young professional.
However, there are a number of facets that young professionals feel Ithaca lacks, according to Mohlenhoff. One of those is a downtown area geared towards the younger generation.
I think there is an interesting lack of certain things that young professionals might like to see here — maybe a bit more commercialized activities on the Commons,” Mohlenhoff said. “If you look at other towns like Burlington, Vt., their downtown areas have almost a half and half mix with those unique kitschy community organizations, but you’ll see a Gap or Urban Outfitters as well.”
This also plays into the lack of a specific area for the young professional crowd to hang out. Mohlenhoff said that while this demographic likes to frequent the restaurants and bars on the Commons, they often leave by 9 p.m. before the area gets overrun by students, mainly from Ithaca College.
The Ithaca Downtown Partnership, an organization created by the State of New York that has been working to improve the perception and appearance of downtown, hopes to draw in a number of new businesses that will be attractive to everyone, regardless of age. These include a regional wine center, a comedy club, a jazz club and more entertainment establishments.
But many young professionals are content with the social atmosphere in the area. Jody VanVleet, visitor’s center manager for the Convention of Visitors Bureau and an Ithaca native, says that through different organizations that she is involved in, she was able to meet other young professionals, including her boyfriend. Smalls added that he met his wife while in Ithaca.
Another complaint among young professionals is the high cost of living. VanVleet stayed in the Ithaca community because of her strong ties to and love for the area. However, as a homeowner, she says that the high taxes are a complaint of many people in the area.
Furthermore, the job opportunities are not as abundant as they might be in a large city, and Mohlenhoff says that it is often hard to move up in the workforce.
“Ithaca is a great place to come and start out in an entry level job, but middle level and upper level management positions are hard to come by,” Mohlenhoff said.
This was part of the impetus to create Ithaca Forward, which has been working for about two-and-a-half years to help young professionals network for career opportunities. With about 500 active members, the organization holds a variety of social events, including an upcoming Thanksgiving wine tasting mixer.
Altogether, most feel that Ithaca is a welcoming place for young professionals, and none are eager to leave.
“I like the smaller town and knowing the people who live here,” VanVleet said. “I’d absolutely raise my kids here.”