Wharton Studio & Cafe

Preserving and celebrating the region’s role in early American movie making

Wharton Studio Museum (WSM) and Friends of Stewart Park (FSP), in partnership with the City of Ithaca, are developing the lake-facing section of the historic Wharton Studio Building in Stewart Park, creating a new cultural and recreational destination for Ithacans and visitors alike: the Wharton Studio & Cafe.

This exciting adaptive reuse of a once prolific motion picture studio features dedicated space for exhibits on the pioneering filmmakers, the Wharton brothers, and Ithaca’s role in early American movie making, as well as a cafe with lakeside terraces. The project highlights and celebrates the movie history that took place here more than a century ago and brings life back to this studio building located along the Cayuga Waterfront Trail  – one of only a handful of motion picture studios from that era still standing in the country – for the benefit of residents and visitors alike.

The Wharton Studio & Cafe, located in the park’s “historic core” –  a vibrant hub for concerts, vaudeville performances, and watching movies in the early 20th century –  is the cornerstone project in a plan that also includes Renwick Plaza, a multi-purpose performance space; a Cayuga Lake Overlook; and further work on the adjacent restored Picnic Pavilion. The result will be an engaging cultural and recreational destination within Stewart Park for everyone.

Wharton Studio Museum and Friends of Stewart Park, sister organizations with a shared mission of revitalizing Stewart Park, have successfully worked together for the past decade, with FSP raising millions of dollars to improve, enhance, and make this beautiful historic park accessible,  and with WSM also fundraising and spearheading numerous improvement projects, all the while staying focused on realizing the Wharton Studio & Cafe.

The Wharton Studio & Cafe project is currently in its design development phase with a goal of construction beginning in Spring 2025.

Café News

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.

Read More