416 E State St. Lounge Vision Statement - Ithaca

 The Printing Press: 416 East State Street Ithaca, NY
LOUNGE VISION STATEMENT
The Printing Press: 4 16 East State Street, Ithaca, NY LOUNGE VISION STATEMENT
Executive Summary
416 East State Street is adjacent to the recently opened Argos Inn, at 408 East State Street, a conversion of the
historic McCormick-Cowdry Mansion into an inn with 10 guest rooms, an apartment for the inn manager, a
public bar and lounge, called Bar Argos, and a conference room. The front and middle portion of the warehouse
building at 416 East State Street will be occupied as a bar and lounge, with the working name Printing Press,
and will be complementary to the adjacent Argos Inn. Pedestrian and vehicular access to both properties, as
well as landscaping will further connect the adjacent properties.
Left: The Argos Inn. Right: View of the inn lobby and bar parlor.
Background
In the late 1940s the property 416-418 East State Street was owned by entrepreneur and media executive Roy
H. Park, who expanded the property to include his personal office. Around that time, Roy H. Park also owned
408 East State Street, the current location of the adjacent Argos Inn, so a symbiotic relationship between the
two properties has existing for much of the past 50 years. In the early 1950s 416-418 East State Street was
further expanded with the warehouse toward the rear of the property. 416 East State Street at this time also
housed Roy H. Park’s new venture with Duncan Hines, called Hines-Park Foods, a food company largely
known for its popular product at the time, the Duncan Hines Cake Mix. Using money made from Hines-Park
Foods and a later executive position at Proctor and Gamble, Roy H. Park would later found Park
Communications, owner of a number of television and radio stations and publications. In 1954, the warehouse,
toward the rear of the site, was occupied by the Upstate Press, a local newspaper press. Arnold Printing, still in
existence today on Green Street, later occupied the warehouse in the 1960s.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Printing Press Lounge Vision Statement 416-­‐418 East State Street, Ithaca, NY 2 Bar and Lounge Vision
The lounge will build upon the history of the site as a former printing house. The new lounge, with the working
name Printing Press, will emphasize details from the existing warehouse and recall industrial printing
equipment and other industrial machinery. It will serve as a complement to the adjacent Argos Inn. While the
Argos recalls the interiors of a historic mansion from the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Printing Press will
recall a more industrial aesthetic from the 1940s and 1950s, also emphasizing historic details. We anticipate the
customers at the lounge to be both guests from the Argos Inn as well as locals from Ithaca and the surrounding
area. The typical customer at the Bar Argos ranges from Cornell grad students, to young professionals, to
professors and locals. We expect the same at the Printing Press. The vibe will be a place to relax in a
comfortable atmosphere, meet up with a group of friends, and enjoy a nice cocktail, local cider or glass of wine,
or craft beer. There will also be small plates such as local cheese and charcuterie.
Left: Argos Inn details. Right: View of the Argos Inn bar and lounge. The lounge at 416 East State Street will have a similar feel to these examples of bars with an industrial aesthetic.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Printing Press Lounge Vision Statement 416-­‐418 East State Street, Ithaca, NY 3 Left: 19th Century Printing Press. Right: 416 East State St. Warehouse, formerly a printing shop, current condition.
There is a long history of speakeasies and cocktail lounges in New York City and beyond that are designed to
build upon existing historic details and remain respectful of the surrounding neighborhood. Ciro’s, in the image
below, for example in Tampa, Florida, specifically emphasizes “speaking easy” both within and outside of the
establishment. Apotheke, on the next page, emphasizes as secret entrance and very little signage. The
renovation of the Printing Press Lounge at 416 East State Street will be largely interior. The outside of the
building will change very little, beyond restoring the façade, putting on a new coat of paint, and adding
additional landscape while maintaining existing trees. Signage will be kept to a minimum to emphasize the
speakeasy warehouse aesthetic. The experience as a whole serves to recall the past of Roy H. Park and the
former printing press use of the building in the 1940s and 50s when the warehouse was first built.
Ciro’s, a speakeasy and supper club in Tampa, Florida. The 416 E. State St. Lounge will have a similar relaxed vibe.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Printing Press Lounge Vision Statement 416-­‐418 East State Street, Ithaca, NY 4 Apotheke, a speakeasy bar in NYC. The lounge will also have comfortable chairs and a similar aesthetic.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Printing Press Lounge Vision Statement 416-­‐418 East State Street, Ithaca, NY 5