[Photo: event in the space]
Convening space
Meetings and events for growers, makers, researchers and buyers.
Coming to SouthWorks ยท Ithaca, NY
The Hempcubator at SouthWorks
A showroom, convening space, member desks and production space for hemp and biomaterials companies, on a 95-acre campus minutes from Cornell.
What we're opening
Alliance for a Regenerative BioEconomy (AFARE) is opening 4 kinds of space for members and visitors at SouthWorks.
[Photo: hemp block wall]
Materials showroom
Member products on display, with specs, demonstration videos and brochures.
[Photo: member desks]
Member space
A desk in Ithaca and a New York mailing address.
[Photo: production line]
Hempcubator
Production and lab space AFARE subleases to members.
See and handle hemp materials before you specify them
Architects, builders, developers and code officials can book a free visit to the materials showroom. Member blocks, insulation and panels are on display with brochures, specs boards and demonstration videos.
[Hemp block]
[Insulation]
[Hemp hurd]
Coming
Production space for members
AFARE holds the lease and subleases production and lab space to members, so a young company can run a production line without signing its own industrial lease. The first 2 member production lines open at SouthWorks in Year 1.
- Sublease from AFARE, which holds the lease
- Production and lab space sized to your line
- Next to the showroom, so buyers can see what you make
- Hempcubator walkthrough and space scope during onboarding
Why SouthWorks
AFARE is based at SouthWorks, the 95-acre former Morse Chain plant in Ithaca that SHIFT Capital is redeveloping into a campus for manufacturing, research and housing.
One location
Hemp industry and academic participants from across the country and around the world, convened in Ithaca.
Next to Cornell
Close to Cornell University's research, faculty and facilities.
Project pipeline
Development projects that members can take part in.
The campus
About SouthWorks
AFARE's showroom, convening space and Hempcubator are at SouthWorks, a 95-acre campus on Ithaca's South Hill, minutes from Cornell, Ithaca College and downtown.
The site is the former Morse Chain, Borg Warner and Emerson Power Transmission factory, built in phases from 1906 to 1971 and closed in 2011. SHIFT Capital and its partners are turning it into a mixed-use neighborhood with 915 planned homes and a 70,000 sq ft manufacturing scale-up facility.
In January 2026 the project won $38M through New York State's ACHIEVE competition.
- acres on South Hill
- 95
- years the factory ran
- 1906 to 2011
- planned homes
- 915
- ACHIEVE award, Jan 2026
- $38M
- Address
- 620 S Aurora St, Ithaca, NY 14850
Gallery
- [Photo: SouthWorks aerial at golden hour]
SouthWorks campus, Ithaca - [Photo: SouthWorks exterior]
SouthWorks factory buildings - [Rendering: Lab Lounge]
Rendering: SouthWorks master plan - [Rendering: Chainway]
Rendering: SouthWorks master plan - [Rendering: Lower Morse view]
Rendering: SouthWorks master plan - [Site plan, annotated]
Rendering: SouthWorks master plan
[Images pending permission from SouthWorks and SHIFT Capital]
Find us
Join growers, makers, builders and researchers at SouthWorks
Tell us about your work. Dana Thompson, Executive Director, will be in touch.