, ▁and ▁the ▁base ▁of ▁volunte ers ▁expanded . ▁When ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁close ▁its ▁Ti oga ▁Street ▁site ▁to ▁make ▁way ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁county ▁building , ▁I th aca ▁Center ▁Associ ates ▁offered ▁temporary ▁space . ▁The ▁Sci en center ▁re located ▁to ▁the ▁Center ▁I th aca ▁complex ▁during ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁closed ▁its ▁exhib it ▁space ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁the ▁task ▁of ▁building ▁a ▁permanent ▁home . ▁ ▁Pl ans ▁for ▁a ▁P erman ent ▁Fac ility ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁it ▁had ▁become ▁clear ▁the ▁organization ▁would ▁need ▁to ▁find ▁larger ▁and ▁more ▁permanent ▁qu arters ▁to ▁remain ▁vi able ▁in ▁the ▁long ▁term . ▁Arch itect ▁Bob ▁Le athers , ▁of ▁Le athers ▁and ▁Associ ates , ▁nation ally ▁known ▁for ▁his ▁innov ative ▁community - built ▁play ground s ▁and ▁I th aca ▁resident , ▁offered ▁his ▁services ▁to ▁help ▁design ▁a ▁structure ▁that ▁would ▁serve ▁as ▁home ▁to ▁the ▁Sci en center . ▁Le athers ▁proposed ▁the ▁Sci en center ▁be ▁built ▁by ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁community ▁– ▁including ▁business pers ons , ▁secret aries , ▁store ▁cler ks , ▁teachers , ▁brick layers , ▁elect r icians , ▁university ▁profess ors , ▁do ctors , ▁grand par ents , ▁and ▁children . ▁The ▁result ▁would ▁be ▁a ▁science ▁museum ▁that ▁belonged ▁to ▁the ▁entire ▁community , ▁because ▁they ▁had ▁built ▁it . ▁ ▁The