INDEPENDENT SINCE 1880
The Corne¬ Daily Sun Vol. 131, No. 90
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2015
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ITHACA, NEW YORK
16 Pages – Free
News
Arts
Sports
Weather
In Good Taste
Throwing Shade
Stepping Up
Snow Showers HIGH: 25º LOW: 2º
Cornell Close-ups profiles chef Hans Butler, who started his own restaurant before joining Risley Dining. | Page 3
Tyran Grillo grad says he thinks Fifty Shades of Grey is a “master class in heterosexism.” | Page 10
The wrestling team, after beating Drexel on Sunday, is heading into the National Duals. | Page 16
Amid Commons Construction, Retailers Face Drop in Sales By CHRISTOPHER BYRNS Sun Staff Writer
Following multiple delays on the completion of the Commons construction project, downtown retailers saw a 10 percent decrease in foot traffic and sales in 2014 compared to 2013, according to a report from the Downtown Ithaca Alliance. Compared to last year, downtown businesses saw a six percent average decrease in sales for the entire year, with retailers experiencing a 14 percent decline for the holiday season. Of the 150 businesses eligible, 55 responded to the survey. The report — titled “Trends in Downtown Business Sales: 2014” and first reported on by The Ithaca Voice — sought to examine both the state of businesses downtown and the affect businesses felt during ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ / SUN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
See COMMONS page 4
Snow slowdown | Stores in downtown Ithaca experienced lower foot traffic in 2014, as the Commons undergoes construction.
Lambda Chi Alpha Suspension Lifted By SOFIA HU Sun Senior Writer
The University restored recognition for the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity Friday following its suspension on Feb. 2, according to Joel Malina, vice president for university relations. “The chapter can resume all activities except social activities, and may not host guests at the house other than for chapter business, pending a Greek Judicial Board hearing later this semester,” Malina said in a press release. Malina announced Feb. 4 that the fraternity had been placed on interim suspension two days prior, pending an investigation. On the morning
of Feb. 1, the Ithaca Police Department responded to a reported sex offense at One Edgecliff Pl., where Lambda Chi Alpha is currently located as its house undergoes renovations. However, Malina’s announcement on the lifted suspension did not provide a reason why the fraternity was originally suspended. This is the second time this semester the administration has suspended a fraternity. On Jan. 30, Cornell suspended the Psi Upsilon fraternity following claims about an alcohol and illicit substance incident that were later found unsubstantiated. Sofia Hu can be reached at shu@cornellsun.com.
Contest Gives Cornellians Opportunity To Design College Avenue Complex By ARIEL SEIDNER Sun Staff Writer
An architecture competition is providing Cornellians with the opportunity to personally shape Collegetown by designing a future apartment complex at 315 College Ave. Hosted by Lambrou Real Estate, the architecture competition ends its first phase today and was open to anyone affiliated with Cornell who wanted to design the planned development that sits north of The Nines restaurant. The development will set a “new national ... standard for student housing,” according to Evan Lambrou, who is leading the project. Lambrou said he hopes the development See COLLEGE AVENUE page 4 MICHAELA BREW / SUN SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER
Putting up a facade | Lambrou Real Estate is hosting a competition, open to all Cornellians, to redesign 315 College Ave., pictured left.
CONNOR ARCHARD / SUN SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Vacation time | Above: Students brave Libe Slope on a snowy day. Inset: Ithaca’s travel website urges tourists to visit Florida rather than Ithaca.
Ithaca Visitor Site: Visit Florida Keys Instead In the midst of a particularly frigid winter, VisitIthaca.com — the Ithaca Conventions and Visitors Bureau’s website — began urging potential tourists to visit the Florida Keys and Key West instead of Ithaca Sunday night. “That’s it. We surrender. Winter, you win. Key West anyone?” read the message, which was displayed at the top of a pop-up on the VisitIthaca.com website. The message linked visitors to the tourism site for the Florida Keys. “Due to this ridiculously stupid weather, Ithaca invites you to visit The Keys this week,” the website also read. “Please come back when things thaw out. Really, it’s for the birds now.” Bruce Stoff, the Ithaca Visitors Bureau director who came up with the idea, said he, along with millions of other Northeasterners, was fed up with the brutal winter and hoped the unconventional message would be a unique way to engage with customers, according to The Ithaca Journal. Stoff said he pitched the idea — which was not part of any Florida Keys advertising campaign — to the Florida Keys Tourism Council last week, according to CNN. Andy Newman, a spokesperson from the Florida Keys Tourism Council, said the idea was “the wackiest thing [he’s] ever seen in [his] life from a tourism marketing standpoint,” CNN reported. While the website no longer displays the pop-up, it has attracted thousands of online visitors, trended on social media websites and been covered by numerous news outlets, including USA Today, National Public Radio and The Telegraph. VisitIthaca.com had gained about 10,580 hits by early afternoon Monday, according to The Journal. — Compiled by Gabriella Lee