Ithaca Commons

This pedestrian section of downtown is the heartbeat of our city! Extremely fun festivals many times per year, great shopping in unique/​attractive shops (check out F. Oliver’s, the cellar d’ore, and Sunny Days on Green Street), good eats (Mate Factor, Gorgers and Viva will knock your socks off!), and easy parking thanks to the new machines that take credit cards and text you to ask if you want to extend your parking by phone. Thank god the construction is done! Now every restaurant has great outdoor seating :)

I don’t really understand the negative reviews I’m seeing. I had a lot of fun walking through and browsing the commons. I love shops that sell unique gifts, knick-​knacks, and art, so really got my fill on this street! There was at least 4 or 5 different shops that fit this description. Things are pretty pricey though.

Construction is complete, and the commons is bright, open, and walkable once again! Hooray! I’m holding out hope that the empty storefronts will be filled again with family-​friendly shops now that it’s easier to navigate! There is lots of seating, flowers, a groovy bandstand, and outdoor chess tables that are super awesome!
The downsides… The new playground is cute but not as large as the previous one and seems to be geared mostly towards the youngest kiddos. The new trees are all very young and provide no shade, so it’s hot out there on a sunny day. There are still an usual number of head shops.
The Commons really would benefit from a sustainable/​natural-​minded anchor shop or two to bring tourists INTO Ithaca! Maybe Origins or BodyShop? How about a Trader Joe’s?!? Come on, Ithaca, you know you want a TJs!
I understand as a small town we want to support our local businesses, but I think a lot of folks bypass the Commons completely in favor of the Mega Mall in Syracuse. But if you build it, they will come (and stay to browse the local shops too!)
An indoor play space of some kind would be a welcome addition. Candle pin bowling? A roller skating rink that’s open year round? A trampoline arena?
I also would love to see an all VEGAN restaurant on the commons to balance out the fois gras fanciness (nastiness) downtown. Star Truck… come on down!

Having graduated from Cornell many years ago, I remember the Commons area as upscale and attractive. Sad to see that it has become a bombed out mess. For Rent signs abound as do hippie remnants from days gone by. City planners wake up.

What a complete and total bore. Construction all around. No good shops. More eateries than anything. Don’t waste your time, especially if you’re from out of state.

Blah, not much to do here. Everything is over priced … there’s a few good places to eat but that’s that. Maybe one or two stores I actually shop at…

This is a difficult review to write, because I have always loved the Ithaca Commons. However, the Ithaca Commons has been under construction for almost three years, turning it into a desolate commercial wasteland. Many of my favorite shops are closed, and cheap alternatives have taken their place. I understand that the construction was necessary, but three years?!? I love the idea of placing hand-​painted messages around the construction site, but the cuteness of that has long-​since worn off. I am very much looking forward to an end to construction, but when will that ever come???

What the heck is happening to this place? I don’t live in Ithaca but have been visiting regularly for years and this area used to be so lively and great… now it seems a lot of business have changed or left probably due to the construction which seems to have made zero progress since I visited last year. Total bummer.

A good place to check out for a stroll. A must wander for Ithaca visitors. Lots of food/​shopping options in a cute college town. This area definitely caters to the college students.

A stop at the Commons in a must for visitors to Ithaca. It’s the perfect place to stroll and take in all the wonderful creativity, freedom, and fun that is this great little town. Boutiques, book store, eco-​shops, health-​conscious eateries, and more ring the pedestrian-​only plaza. On the benches, you’re likely to see poets, musicians, and general characters hanging out. It’s a colorful neighborhood and a great place to spend a couple hours meandering.

If you’re visiting Ithaca, you can’t not see the commons.

Beautiful location and a great place to walk around on a warm fall afternoon. A great city overall to visit and hike around but these Commons is a place to relax and grab a bite to eat or shop. It’s closed off to traffic and is a safe place to stroll and window shop. There are little playgrounds for kids and different sculptures and art to look at.
Overall, highly recommend if you’re in the area and have some time to kill whether you’re visiting Cornell or Ithaca College or there for the lake and parks.

We’d heard some good things about the Commons, but frankly it was a bit of a disappointment. There were a lot of panhandlers (some dude asked my daughter for 75 cents), burnt-​out looking hippies and shuttered stores. A concert was scheduled, but only six or seven people were in attendance. It all seemed a little sad and desperate.
I must say that Angry Mom’s Records was awesome though, an incredible selection of rare and obscure LPs, so if you are there and music is your thing, check it out.
Otherwise … meh.

Yay!
I LOVE the commons. Sometimes I’d walk down from the Cornell campus, which was nice because it’s all downhill but the walk back was pretty rough. This is where they host the Apple festival and the Chili festival, both are events I think of fondly. There are a few consignment shops as well as random stores that sell candles and jewelry and what have you. There are plenty of restaurants with all different cuisines, Thai, Korean, American, pizza, smoothies, etc.
I think the Commons is really charming and cute, but that could be a biased view since I lived in Ithaca for 4 years. I don’t know how charmed I would be if someone took me here on holiday.

There is no place like The Commons! In fact there’s no place as wonderful and beautiful as Ithaca! Its got so much charm, character, the university and college are great. Then with the lake and hills topped with THE COMMONS! I love it! Always went when in high school and now living out in AZ, I ALWAYS make it to Ithaca when home here in Syracuse!

We’d been looking forward to strolling around Ithaca Commons during a day trip to town. My boyfriend had been a student at Ithaca College nearly a decade ago, and last Monday’s adventure was his first time back to the area since he graduated. Me, this trip to The Commons was my first.
Located a few miles from campus in downtown Ithaca, Ithaca Commons consists of several square blocks of shops, restaurants, and bars. There’s also artwork to enjoy, some street vendors and performers, a small playground, and a good number of communal benches, tables, and chairs.
A pretty area, though one that has clearly been affected by the recession: we couldn’t help but notice many vacant stores. In fact, my boyfriend noticed that Benchwarmers, a popular bar during his college days, had apparently closed, moved, and closed again. Another once-​popular Ithaca Commons institution that is no more? Gino’s, a pizza joint that used to occupy space next door to Simeon’s. My guy used to live directly above Gino’s, and I can attest to the look of utter disappointment on his face when he rounded the street corner with excitement only to discover that Gino’s is gone.
Ithaca Commons is a cool area that I don’t doubt is enjoyed by Ithaca and Cornell students and, as in my boyfriend’s case, remembered fondly by alumni.