Ithaca in 3: Three Things to Know This Week 5/11

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Each week, Life in Ithaca highlights three local updates worth knowing, from city government and transportation to events, culture, and community life.

Here are three things to keep on your radar for the week starting Monday, May 11.

1. Seneca Street Parking Garage Will Remain Closed

The Seneca Street Parking Garage will remain closed after an independent evaluation found ongoing structural and safety concerns.

The garage has been closed since April 10, 2026, and the City of Ithaca says reopening it is no longer the plan. Instead, city officials are looking at next steps around site safety, downtown access, transit impacts, and the long-term future of the property.

The closure may continue to affect nearby sidewalks, traffic patterns, and TCAT bus stop operations as the city works through safety planning and redevelopment options.

For downtown visitors, workers, and businesses, this is one to watch. Parking, walkability, and transit access are all part of the larger downtown puzzle.

More information:https://www.cityofithacany.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1410

2. Ithaca’s Budget Process Gets Underway

Ithaca’s city budget season is beginning.

The City of Ithaca has scheduled a Budget Kickoff Meeting for Tuesday, May 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. in Council Chambers on the third floor of City Hall.

While budget meetings may not sound flashy, they shape a lot of what residents experience every day: city staffing, services, public safety, infrastructure, programs, and eventually, taxes.

This kickoff meeting is the beginning of the public conversation around city spending priorities for the year ahead. For residents who care about where Ithaca puts its money, this is one of those early civic moments worth paying attention to.

More information:https://www.cityofithacany.gov/Calendar.aspx?EID=6884

3. Graduation Season Starts to Hit Ithaca

Graduation season is arriving, and that means Ithaca is about to get busier.

Visit Ithaca lists graduation weekends as May 15–17 and May 22–24. Ithaca College’s primary graduation day is Sunday, May 17, with its Commencement Eve Concert and Fireworks scheduled for Saturday, May 16. Cornell’s primary graduation day follows the next weekend, on Saturday, May 23.

For local residents, graduation season usually means more visitors, busier restaurants, heavier traffic, and tighter hotel availability. For local businesses, it can also be one of the more active stretches of the spring.

So if you’re planning dinner out, driving near campus, or heading downtown, this is the week to think ahead.

More information:https://www.visitithaca.com/graduation-weekends/