Story 18: Community-Driven Marc Leathers Playground Rebuild
The former Henry St. John School was acquired by INHS in the early 1980’s and was renovated as a mixed-use amenity for the community. As a part of this acquisition, INHS came into the ownership of the large public green space and public playground adjacent to the building.
The original playground was built in 1971 as the first Leathers & Associates project, headed by Marc Leathers. Since then, Marc Leathers and his firm have worked on more than 1,600 projects in all 50 states and four other countries. In late June of 2002, Marc Leathers returned to Ithaca to rebuild the playground on the historic site.
The rebuilding project was made possible by in-kind and financial donations from various sources and required the collaboration of Leathers & Associates staff, INHS, Habitat for Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties, Cornell Habitat for Humanity, and community volunteers.
The new playground was completed in October of 2002 and was celebrated with a special dedication ceremony at the Henry St. John Building Park. During the ceremony, INHS recognized the efforts and donations of all the people who made the project possible and unveiled a plaque naming the playground the Marc Leathers Community Playground. The site, which has served the public for over 50 years, will continue to do so thanks to these efforts.
Homebuyer Class: In-Person, One-Day/All-Day June 20 in Auburn NY ($20 Special)
