Strolling around the corner of West Court Street and North Albany, it is hard to miss summer expansion projects happening at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center. As day camp and basketball leagues continue, GIAC directors prepare for the introduction of a new recreation center.
The location which previously held The Red & White cafe has been transformed to host GIAC’s teen catering program while the houses at 327-329 West Court St. were converted to residential spaces for young women experiencing homelessness.
When asked about the center’s space acquisitions, Deputy Director Travis Brooks expressed pride in this milestone in GIAC’s journey servicing the Ithaca community.
“We’ve always been looking to expand,” Brooks said. “Over the last 25-30 years, people have seen the growth of the agency [and] the success we’ve had and believe in us enough to help us make those things happen.”
Confidence in the GIAC staff has been vital in the collaborative effort to welcome the new rec center. Just next door to GIAC’s original location, this space was purchased from Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services in 2018. The five-year renovation has included the installation of a recording studio, a screen-printing room, two lounges and a fully furnished gym.
The rec center notably introduced the Rashad Richardson Indoor Basketball Court, named to commemorate a beloved Boynton Middle School student who died in 2001. At 12, Richardson was an avid participant in GIAC programs when he was killed in a tragic revolving door accident. Through this dedication, GIAC continues to preserve Richardson’s legacy as its downtown reach grows.
The establishment of the new rec center enables GIAC to accommodate programs geared towards teenagers in their new location, as GIAC’s primary location is more concentrated on hosting youth activities. Teen programs that once took place in shared or borrowed spaces now have an official home.
Rahmel Mack, a member of the GIAC team, was particularly looking forward to the center’s introduction. After over 16 years as a program leader for 9th through 12th graders, Mack appreciates how new resources center on teens.
“Teens in Ithaca are one of those demographics that are underserved,” Mack told The Sun. “In my opinion, Ithaca is designed for senior citizens, college students and kids. [For] 9th through 12th grade, … you gotta figure something out.”
As a member of a local band — Empire Kings — Mack was thrilled about the increasing access of a music studio. He explained that interested teens can pay an annual fee to join the after-school program and gain access to all rec center facilities. The new rec center reduces the limitations imposed by the previous limitations and allows GIAC to involve more young people from the local community in their program.
“Because we have more space, we can up the [program] capacity to when registration closes,” Mack said.
Another GIAC space for teenagers is the newly acquired Red & White Cafe. Once occupied by a classic Ithaca restaurant, the building at 402 West Court St. will now be home to GIAC’s teen catering program.
For 10 years, teen caterers have traveled around Tompkins County, preparing food for Cornell, Ithaca College and other city entities. Teams of twenty to a couple hundred young chefs and servers commute to new venues, gaining direct experience in professional food service.
When the Red & White Cafe appeared on the real estate market, Pre-Teen and Teen Program Coordinator Jay Stooks seized the chance to make it an opportunity for GIAC’s programming. Although the original recreation center has a full-size commercial kitchen, it is primarily dedicated to the afterschool program. Initially, GIAC’s 50 served initiative provides kids with snacks and a well-balanced meal daily. With the addition of a separate space allocated to teen catering, the program can accommodate many more members in future years.
“We’re trying to have it be a community space where we can have meetings, bring people together over food and have training for young teens, to give them that work experience,” Stooks said.
In addition to the catering program in the cafe space, GIAC also established an upstairs art gallery open to the public. Stooks also plans to preserve the former restaurant’s Friday Fish Fries, a tradition that many in the community miss. Cafe renovations are still underway but the teen business is predicted to operate within normal hours by the start of next summer.
Across the street, GIAC renovation plans are also scheduled for the house at 327-329 West Court St. Although this residence only became GIAC-owned in 2024, directors have been looking to purchase it for 15 years.
The GIAC staff hopes this building will create both workforce housing and a place where unhoused young women can seek shelter, inspired by the organization’s history of helping women in difficult situations.
“We’ve had a program for some time where we worked with the sex trafficking task force for New York. We had staff who were heavily involved in it,” Brooks said. “It became very clear to us that this was a need. If we could acquire this property, we could help address it.”
The house is currently equipped with six bedrooms and accommodates families. Brooks is optimistic that young women will be able to move in within the year, once more funding is focused on the program. He hopes that providing housing will help women secure affordable long-term homes and employment.
“It’s a short-term housing solution. The idea would be that people come in, [and] we help them get permanent housing,” Brooks said. “That way they don’t have to experience being on the streets or in vulnerable situations.”
The dedication of GIAC employees is apparent in other summer successes like reparations to the Melvin Bell Basketball Court and maintenance of the Alex Haley Pool. With a packed GIAC summer camp, both areas have been fervently enjoyed by 140 campers this season.
An abundance of new resources allows the activities center to accommodate more local residents in their mission to promote social and individual development. After reflecting on changes in 2024, Stooks reiterated GIAC’s purpose in providing resources to the Ithaca population and helping inform career paths.
“We’re giving everybody the tools. We’re giving everybody the opportunities,” Stooks said. “We’re opening up doors and trying to show people what exists for them.”
Kira Walter is a reporter from the Cornell Daily Sun working on The Sun’s summer fellowship at The Ithaca Times. This piece was originally published in The Ithaca Times.