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Image( Ithaca , NY ) As a software developer and consulting firm focused on the new creative economy, Concept Systems Inc. could have moved anywhere in the northeast, or the country when it ran out of space. 

But it didn’t.

CSI President and C.E.O. Mary Kane and her husband opted instead to invest their own money as private citizens, to purchase a 100 year old building at 136 The Commons, and move the firm there, keeping 15 employees in the midst of downtown Ithaca ’s dynamic environment that includes retailers, restaurants and the occasional downtown fair or festival.

The decision led to another investment of more than $330,000 to renovate the second and third floors of the building, before the company could move in.

Concept Systems was founded in 1993 and has always been located in downtown Ithaca . Its first offices were in the former Babcock Hall on Aurora Street , then in the Gateway Commons. It’s a strategic decision-making consulting company. A key component of CSI’s work is a proprietary Internet-based software tool called Concept System®, which is a planning methodology that structures and supports an organization’s efforts to develop responsive, meaningful plans and systems.

Kane says the real story is the impact this kind of revitalization has on downtowns and businesses. ‘We feel that both the community and our staff members benefit from the synergy of being in the downtown area. We also felt that it was important that someone try something not yet achieved… to set a standard for others and to support the downtown financially.’ 

Kane says Concept Systems was completely happy in the Gateway Commons, but simply ran out of space there. She and her husband chose to purchase 136 The Commons on their own in March 2007, after investigating numerous other options and locations. 

Renovation of the second and third floors took 12 months and the company moved into the new building in March of this year. The work included completely replacing and upgrading all of the mechanicals, removal of all of the walls except those holding the building up and replacing many of them, substantial roof repairs, refinishing the wood floors and installing new carpeting, replacing every window in the building, restoration of original ceiling lights, replacement of all safety lights, repairing and restoring the original common stairway and restoring an original skylight from the second floor up to the roof.

Three ground-floor retail tenants continued to operate and do business while the work was being completed

Downtown Ithaca Alliance Executive Director Gary Ferguson says, ‘The renovation by Concept Systems of an historic downtown building for their corporate offices should serve as a model for others in Ithaca and throughout New York State . This project keeps 15 employees and a high tech, creative economy business so desired by communities everywhere, in the heart of downtown Ithaca .’

The work was financed through the Tompkins Trust Company, Tompkins County Area Development and the Broome County Industrial Development Agency, with private funds from Kane and her husband as back-up.

The fourth floor of the 100 year old building contains private apartments. Repairs are expected to be made to them next year with a complete renovation of them possible in the next few years. Kane says she also wants to investigate the use of grant monies to renovate the building’s façade in the next year. 

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