Staple of Ithaca is an adaptive reuse project using the existing buildings of 13 and part of 14 of the old Morse Chain Factory to create a workforce development center for the residents of Tompkins County. The project approached the brief with three problems in mind. The first of which is to educate by creating a space where the existing workforce and new trainees alike can learn the necessary skills to keep Ithaca on track for its 2030 goals. The second was to increase public exposure to the targeted workforce as there is a need for people in the area to learn construction so that the area can produce more residences. The third and final goal of the project was to provide a method of circulation from the upper part of South Hill to the lower part for an easier way to get foot traffic to town center.

The project sees itself as a staple within its own walls and amongst its topography tying things together as it is used. This happens on a personal, building, and site level. The project inserts a mass which serves as a public corridor amongst the already existing mass dedicated to workforce development functions that allow for the public to get visual exposure to these functions. Then, these two masses are tied together in the places bordered by brick to allow them to stand out. The project preserves almost all existing structure and reuses many of the materials that were already on site such as the corrugated steel decking on the roof which was moved to the siding.