top of page

Boardman House

The Boardman House, a brick Italianate building in Ithaca’s downtown, was built in 1866, and for more than 50 years, from 1911 to 1968, served as a campus building for the Ithaca Conservatory of Music, which became Ithaca College in 1932. When Ithaca College moved its campus to South Hill, Tompkins County purchased the buildings, including the Boardman House. After determining that the house required restoration work that could not be funded, the county announced plans for demolition.


It may be said that the Boardman House was Historic Ithaca’s first major advocacy success. Historic Ithaca’s members, led by Constance Saltonstall and Victoria Romanoff, successfully delayed demolition for years through many forms of protest and propaganda, from posters to newspaper ads, and rallied thousands behind the cause. In 1976, the house was finally purchased to be converted into a planetarium, but after this plan was abandoned, was bought by Joseph Ciaschi, owner of the Station Restaurant (Ithaca’s first adaptive reuse project). The Boardman House is now owned by Boardman House LLC and is an integral piece of the DeWitt Park Historic District.



Comments


FIND US

Historic Ithaca

212 Center Street

Ithaca, NY 14850

607 - 273 - 6633

info@historicithaca.org

Open M-F

9am to 5pm

[Call for an appointment]

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
White IURA-01-01.png
White NYSCA-01.png
White Park Foundation-01.png

The programs of Historic Ithaca are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor & the New York State Legislature. 
Funding for Work Preserve has been provided by the City of Ithaca Community Development Block Grant Program and the Park Foundation.
This website was made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation of Tompkins County

bottom of page