ITHACA, N.Y. — The Asteri apartment tower downtown has been cleared to reopen, city officials said, ending a roughly two-week evacuation period triggered by fire-safety violations that forced hundreds of residents to leave earlier this month.
The City of Ithaca issued the initial order to vacate the 181-unit residential portion of the building at 118 E. Green St. after firefighters identified serious issues in the stairwells, including broken and missing window glass that compromised the building’s ability to contain smoke and maintain safe emergency exits. Officials said the conditions made the structure unsafe for occupancy at the time. (City of Ithaca)
Since the evacuation order, city inspectors and building officials have worked with the property owner to complete required repairs, including restoring fire-safety protections in the stairwells and addressing code violations that prompted the closure. Some residents had been allowed limited access to retrieve belongings under supervision while the building remained off-limits for full occupancy. (Fingerlakes1.com)
With the repairs completed and safety standards met, officials have now approved a return for residents. Support services and temporary housing assistance that were arranged during the evacuation are expected to continue as tenants move back in. (Fingerlakes1.com)
