Chapter 15

The Commons is a two-block pedestrian mall plopped in the center of downtown, boxed in between four main roads, all of which are one way. It takes a special kind of psychopath to create a quarter mile roundabout at the base of two hills, but Ithaca has boasted some pretty interesting people over the years.

There are trees, and pavilions, and public art and plenty of places to sit, and if you don’t pay close attention it’s a very pleasant place. Twenty-five years ago it wa...