Ithaca, N.Y. — Ithaca Commons construction crews raised the roof on the Bernie Milton Pavilion Thursday morning.
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They were setting up by around 8 a.m.
Vacri Construction began digging the foundation for the pavilion in June, so this has been a long time — too long, many say — in the making.
Crews attached the steel roof structure to a crane’s latches.
A centerpiece of the Commons redesign, the pavilion has been moved to Bank Alley, next to the M&T Bank on Seneca Street.
City officials have said this will improve pedestrian traffic on the part of the Commons that runs east-west.
Via Jason Henderson, the construction guru who runs the blog Ithaca Builds:
“Named after the much-loved and sorely missed Bernie Milton (1942-2002) the Soul musician, and former DJ at WICB Radio, the proposed pavilion is an interesting steel and glass structure, designed to be situated at the end of Bank Alley.”
“The roof will funnel water onto a shaded drip piece to provide effect, then down into a trench drain. The positioning at Bank Alley is designed to draw interest from Seneca Street, and provide more space for concert venues, since viewers will now have a much longer line of sight.”
The roof had been lifted and mostly fitted on its beams by 9 a.m. Thursday.
Afterwards, some construction crew members stood admiring the structure.
