Resources for 118 E Green Street residents

Updated 3/19/2026 at 10:50AM:

From the City of Ithaca press release:

City of Ithaca and Tompkins County Preparing for 118 East Green Street Opening to Residents

Officials from the City of Ithaca and Tompkins County are preparing for the reopening of the residential tower at 118 E. Green Street, anticipating the lifting of the March 4, 2026, order to vacate as early as March 20. These preparations are happening in coordination with community partners, New York State agencies, and the property owner.

Vecino, the property owner at 118 E. Green Street, reports that repairs to the residential tower are nearing completion and that a required fire safety test is scheduled for March 20. The City of Ithaca Fire Department will review test results once they are complete and consider lifting the order to vacate. The order was issued after the City Fire Marshal found unsafe conditions which exacerbate the likelihood of wind-driven fire and prevent the stairwells from functioning as safe exits during an emergency.

Once temporary repairs to the damaged windows and fire doors are complete, a stairway pressurization test will be conducted by a third-party testing company to determine whether the building’s pressurization system can help mitigate the severity of a fire emergency. A pressurization system pushes air into a stairwell to create positive pressure. This system assists in a fire by preventing smoke from entering the enclosure during a fire.

A pressurization test is not simply pass or fail: It uses specific pressure measurements that must meet required life‑safety standards before the building can reopen.

Once permanent window replacements are installed on a later date, a pressurization test will be conducted again to confirm full compliance. Until the building fully meets the permanent repair standards, the City will continue to require a 24/7 fire watch by Vecino Group staff to maintain safety during this interim period. Once the stairwell testing is complete and all systems perform as required, the City of Ithaca will lift the Order to Vacate.

The Ithaca Fire Department’s Fire Prevention Bureau will conduct regular inspections until all remaining code violations are resolved and will conduct periodic inspections to ensure continued compliance (as is consistent with all multi- unit residential buildings in the city). Further repairs will continue to be made by the property owner in the residential tower after residents are allowed to return. These include repairs to several units that have individual orders to vacate issued by the City’s Building Division.

Once further details regarding resident reentry are available, they will be communicated directly with residents. City and County staff are coordinating efforts with community partners and Vecino to ensure a safe reentry process.

For residents looking to make arrangements for alternate housing options following the notice to vacate due to hazardous fire safety conditions, please take the following steps:

• Contact your landlord (Vecino, 646-598-6344) or supportive services provider directly to seek assistance.
• Do you have questions about transportation, or are you not sure who can help you? Please call 211.

Local service providers seeking to assist residents should contact nbohn@cityofithaca.org to join a coordinated effort with Tompkins County and the City of Ithaca.