the adaptive reuse of a historic movie studio
Wharton Studio Museum (WSM), in partnership Friends of Stewart Park (FSP) and the City of Ithaca, is developing the lake-facing section of the historic Wharton Studio Building in Stewart Park to create the Wharton Studio & Cafe, a new cultural and recreational destination on Cayuga Lake for Ithacans and visitors alike. This exciting adaptive reuse of a once bustling motion picture studio — one of only a handful still standing in the country — will feature dedicated exhibit space for multimedia installations about pioneering filmmakers Theodore and Leopold Whartons and the history of Stewart Park, as well as a cafe with terraces overlooking the lake.
The Wharton Studio & Cafe project preserves, highlights and celebrates Ithaca’s and the region’s early 20th century movie history — the Wharton Studio produced hundreds of films and episodic serials starring some of the best-known actors of the day — and breathes life back into a historic building (currently used for maintenance and storage by the City of Ithaca’s Department of Public Works) for the benefit and enjoyment of residents and visitors alike.
The Wharton Studio & Cafe is a cornerstone project in the overall revitalization of Stewart Park spearheaded, since 2011, by Friends of Stewart Park in collaboration with Wharton Studio Museum. To date, they have raised approximately $4 million to improve and enhance the park and complete numerous restoration projects, as well as building a new inclusive playground and splash pad, constructing the first year-round bathrooms in the park, new directional and interpretive signage, and landscaping; all with an eye towards inclusivity and accessibility. In May of 2023, Stewart Park was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Wharton Studio & Cafe’s design team — Bero Architecture, Andrew Sciarabba Engineering & Design, Taitem Engineering, Chiuten Trowbridge Landscape Architects, and Uncommonplace Design — have completed Design Development. Fundraising has begun with a Capital Campaign formally launching soon. The goal for construction to begin is summer 2027.
Stewart Park revitalization continues
Tompkins Weekly | Jaime Cone Hughes
Friends of Stewart Park and Wharton Studio Museum, in collaboration with the city of Ithaca and several community partners, are in the midst of the final phase of the Stewart Park revitalization project. The efforts over the last two decades have brought to life an area that was once overlooked.
“I think Stewart Park had become a little bit like the backwater of the city,” said Ithaca City Forester Jeanne Grace, who is in charge of the maintenance of city parks. “Fifteen years ago, it was kind of forgotten, kind of limping along but not taken care of the way it should have been. Working with the Friends of Stewart Park, the city was really able to match the grants, and with a relatively small amount of input from the city, we were able to get a lot of new infrastructure and maintain these beautiful historic buildings we have there at the park.”
Those who have visited the lakeside park in Ithaca in recent weeks have likely noticed the addition being built on the largest pavilion, often referred to as the “large pavilion” or “picnic pavilion.” At first glance, it might appear that this 950-square-foot add-on to the building is just to increase storage space, but it is part of a larger plan.