Cornell listed its historic president’s house located at 511 Cayuga Heights Road for $2.5 million on May 15.
The house, nicknamed “Robin Hill” was constructed in 1923 and purchased by the University in 1963 by former Cornell President James Perkins. With 8,730 square feet and three acres of lot area, six former Cornell presidents have resided at Robin Hill.
The last Cornell president to reside in the home was Martha Pollack, who retired at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year.
The house boasts seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, along with a fully equipped gym, a gardener’s cottage and several fireplaces.
“The slate roof, copper gutters, leaded glass windows, arched wooden doors, decorative moldings, exposed beams and brass hardware all reflect its original quality and detail,” reads the house’s Zillow listing. “[Architect Laken] Baldridge took care to include special details in each room from the hand-hewn beams and carved oak bar in the vaulted Oak Room, perfect for evening entertaining, to the Adam-style fireplace mantel and custom molding in the formal dining room.”
According to a University spokesperson, the residence was posted for sale to maintain “Cornell’s commitment to responsible stewardship of university assets.” The spokesperson also stated that since the home has been unoccupied for several years, it hopes to “save on the costs associated with regular maintenance and upkeep” of the home.
The decision to sell the house comes amid the University’s decision to institute a hiring freeze and the Trump administration’s decision to withhold more than $1 billion dollars in funding from Cornell.
When asked directly about what triggered the sale of the home, the University declined to comment.
“Cornell appreciates the architectural and historical significance of the house and honors its legacy as part of the heritage of both the university and the Ithaca community,” the spokesperson said.
Inside the Robin Hill property which contains seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms (Courtesy of Zillow).
The property has been owned by the University on and off throughout the years and was most recently purchased in 1995 by Cornell’s 10th president, Hunter R. Rawlings IlI. While it is unclear exactly how much money the house has cost the University, it was initially purchased in 1965, then repurchased by Rawlings for $880,000 and renovated. It has been maintained by the University.
Currently, Cornell does not pay taxes on the house but if someone were to purchase it, nearly $70,000 in property taxes annually would be generated for Tompkins County and be allocated among the Ithaca City School District, the Village of Cayuga Heights, the Town of Ithaca and Tompkins County.
Zeinab Faraj is a reporter at the Ithaca Voice and the assistant sports editor at The Cornell Daily Sun working on The Sun’s summer fellowship. This article was previously published in the Ithaca Voice.
Zeinab Faraj is the assistant sports editor on the 143rd editorial board and a member of the class of 2028 in the College of Arts and Sciences. You can reach her at zfaraj@cornellsun.com.
