301 College Avenue, home to the Jason’s Grocery and Deli convenience store, will be available as a housing option for students in the upcoming housing selection process for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The property was previously purchased for $15 million in June 2017 by developers John Novarr and Phil Proujansky and in February 2024, the Tompkins Community Bank foreclosed on the property due to unpaid mortgage obligations.
The University purchased the property for $15 million in March, according to a deed filing with Tompkins County.
In an interview with The Sun, Vice President for Student and Campus Life Ryan Lombardi confirmed the University’s plan to integrate 301 College Avenue into its housing portfolio starting next academic year.
The 2026-2027 housing availability report provided by the Student & Campus Life included 301 College Avenue Apartments among the available housing options, showing availability by room type and gender.
According to the report, the building will offer 12 apartment units, with configurations including a single-person studio, 2-person studio apartments, 3-bedroom apartments, 4-bedroom apartments, 5-bedroom apartments and 6-bedroom apartments.
The addition of 301 College Avenue as student housing comes amid the enrollment of the Class of 2029, the largest class in the University’s history, and high demand for student housing.
Taehee Oh is a member of the Class of 2026 in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is a senior writer for the News department and can be reached at toh@cornellsun.com.
