What used to be a production center of Ithaca Journal –– the first newspaper in Ithaca –– has been home to Press Bay Alley since 2014 as a springboard for first-time small-business owners. For them, the space represents a support system built upon a shared experience. This sense of community is fostered in part because of John Guttridge, the founder and managing partner of Urban Core LLC, the real estate development company behind Press Bay Alley & Court. 

For Labor Day weekend, Hupstate Circus came to Ithaca, bringing talent from all across the world. Performers and performances inspired by Canadian, Australian and Ecuadorian cultures are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the mass appeal brought on by Hupstate. The members of the Hupstate Circus Board of Directors introduced every show, speaking on their passion for the performers and the art of circus. Four years ago, the Hupstate Circus was born with the goal of bringing circus art to the United States. Emerging as a not-for-profit organization in 2023, the circus’s board gained sponsorships from a multitude of organizations around Ithaca.

In Press Bay Alley, passersby can purchase beer, homemade hand pies and scoops of ice cream on the grounds of the former printing and distribution space of the Ithaca Journal. Located off of West Green...

With the flick of a wand, thousands of people RSVP’d for the event, bringing in over 8,000 attendees from across the country.

This is the first indication that the building houses the Ithaca Generator, a makerspace and collective that offers makers of all backgrounds the space, tools and community to create.

This year for Halloween, a group of local Ithaca entrepreneurs came together to organize Ithaca’s first Wizarding Weekend, a celebration held Oct. 31 in Press Bay Alley.