130 Forest Home Dr Ithaca

Source of Building Data (including date of building construction): 1991 NYS Building Structure Inventory Form, see also "New Store Opens at Forest Home," Ithaca Journal, December 4, 1940, 5.

Builder-William McElwee, Sr.

This building originally housed a grocery and ice cream store. In 1915 Flora Rose and Martha Van Rensselaer from the New York State College of Home Economics at Cornell purchased the building and turned it into The Forest Home Inn with a popular local tea room. The building became a furniture store in 1940 and office space in 1958.  From 1958 until 1963, the Town of Ithaca had offices in the structure. Since 1963, the upper floors have been used primarily as residential apartments. Richard and Frances Ramin, the owners from 1963 through 1999, described the building as comprising offices and apartments. From December 1999 until September 2022, the building was owned by Cornell University.  When sold in 2022, the 1st floor facing Forest Home Drive had been used as office space and the building incorporated 4 residential apartments.  This building has been the only structure in Forest Home used solely for commercial purposes since around 1975.

"Kent Building Rented: New Store Structure at Forest Home Almost Ready," Ithaca Daily Journal, September 6, 1911, 3 (middle of col 4).
https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031157/1911-09-06/ed-1/seq-3/
"The modern, new business block being erected by Willard M. Kent at Forest Home will be completed September 15.  William McElwee of that place is the builder; Architect [William Henry] Miller's office supplied the plans.
The structure embodies every convenience and advantage. It is steam-heated, electric lighted and equipped with a Leader compressed air water plant, which takes pure water from a well, drilled 106 feet deep in solid rock, with energy sufficient to force a large stream high over the top of the building.
Mr. Kent has had many would-be tenants apply to him for leases of the stores. He today concluded agreements for occupancy of all the space.
He has rented the large store to Coy & Lewis who are to establish and conduct therein the Forest City Grocery, carrying a considerable grocery and provision stock. John E. Coy, the senior partner recently sold his hotel in Etna. M. E. Lewis, the junior partner, who has been living with Mr. Coy at Etna, is a son of the Cyrenus E. Lewis of this City.
Seymour Ackles, who has practical knowledge of the restaurant business from two years' service in Ithaca, associated with Merritt Ackles, an employee of the Groton typewriter company, are to open a confectionery and ice cream store and dining hall in the other store. They will have the living apartment above the stores.
The growth of this beautiful suburb has been pronounced in recent years and its near-future expansion is assured. It is in close proximity to the State Agriculture College and the faculty members. students and employees of that institution naturally prefer their residence convenient and attractive. such as Forest Home extends. The new electric street lighting system provides a metropolitan advantage here and the scenic environment is unsurpassed in this Nature favored region. The only check to continuance of development which can come will be due to repressive prices upon vacant lots."

Included in Forest Home Historic District with USN 10906.000040. To access the Building-Structure Inventory Form (sometimes referred to as the "Blue Form"), from which some of the details above are drawn, follow these Lookup Instructions.