Bugbee’s Place

310 W. State Street Ithaca 14850 New York

This 1880 “Stick Style” Queen Anne was one of the early creations of prominent Cornell architect Alvah Bugbee Wood. AB went on to design brick and stone churches, schools, factories, train stations and other public buildings, but early in his career he designed several grand wooden residences, two of which survive in Ithaca today. 310 is listed in the National Historic Register because it is considered such a fine example of the “stick style,” which emphasizes the wooden components of a house and evokes a construction in the forest, with tall narrow windows representing the spaces between trees and foliate motifs throughout.

The house was inhabited by the Rumsey family (local hardware-store magnates) until 1966. When the last Rumsey passed away, 310 became an office building for four decades. In 2012 the building was completely abandoned, pursuant to the owner’s intention to demolish it in favor of a parking lot. Landmark protection prevented the demolition, but the building had been without heat for five years and was missing a significant portion of its roof when we purchased it in 2017. After booting out creatures of all sorts and getting some temporary electricity, we spent two years in the renovation process. Besides a new polymer-slate roof approved by the National Park Service, we installed 100% new electricity, plumbing, insulation and storm windows, a full sprinkler system, air-source heating and air conditioning, multi-room Victorian kitchen, laundry, and four new bathrooms.

Slightly west of the Commons, so you can take advantage of the West End restaurants as well as Restaurant Row on Aurora St. Five-minute walk to the bus hub or use the stop around the corner on Albany St.