Immaculate Conception

Immaculate Conception Church has served the Ithaca Catholic community for over 175 years. Originally established as St. Luke's parish in 1848, it was renamed Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 12, 1860. A second church building was constructed at the corner of Geneva and Seneca Streets in 1863.

The cornerstone for the present church was laid by Bishop Bernard J. McQuaid on September 20, 1896, and the building was dedicated on September 11, 1898. Designed by local architect A.B. Wood in the Gothic Revival style, the church received Historic Ithaca's Preservation Award for excellence in 1997.

A major restoration effort began in 2021 to return the church to its former glory, with a focus on historical accuracy and aesthetic authenticity. Most notably, three stained glass windows in the sanctuary that had been plastered over in the 1930s were uncovered, revealing their intricate beauty for the first time in decades. The project cost approximately $2 million, funded through parishioner donations and the sale of the former Immaculate Conception School property.

Located in downtown Ithaca, home to Cornell University and Ithaca College, the parish has long connections to the academic community. In recent years, Cornell graduate students active in the parish have gone on to religious life, continuing the church's tradition of nurturing vocations.