Once the lights went down, the only sound in the room was the voice of the narrator as he took audience members on a guided video-taped tour of the Old Holley High School. From the cafeteria to the chemistry lab, classrooms and typing room to the auditorium which still carried with it a touch of its former grandeur buried under fallen plaster, buckled floors, pigeon droppings and moss covered chairs, many former students likely relived moments spent in those hallways. The school, in the Village of Holley, built in the early 1900s, has stood vacant for more than 30 years and the ravages of time have taken its toll. "It's difficult to see the damage. But we, as a committee, had to get over the emotional and sentimental feelings the building carries for us to get to the bottom line," said Doug Heath, a village attorney who sits on a board of community members who have been researching what to do with the vacant building. Mark Tayrien, manager of Planning Services with LaBella Associates, was asked to participate to look at the feasibility of rehabilitating the building, and to let the community know what its possible uses could be. "We took the tour and it was rather sobering but for me it was easy to see the building as it could be, not as it was," Tayrien said. "It will take quite a bit of money but the building certainly could be brought back and used as a community resource." Some of the ideas put forth were rehabilitating the building and using it as government offices, bringing in an outside developer to purchase and revitalize it or making the building suitable for apartment spaces - the options, however, carried with them a price per square foot that would likely be prohibitive. "In the private sector, the building would cost less to rehabilitate than it would to meet codes and guidelines if it was used as government offices," Tayrien said. The school itself is approximately 50,000 square feet but because of its configuration and the wide hallways, there is about 29,000 square feet of "occupiable" space, he said. "If someone was going to invest, what would their return be? Tayrien asked. "To recoup up to $10 a square foot in the Holley area probably isn't feasible." As an example, Tayrien showed figures that if the building was renovated to accommodate 24 rental units, the owner would have to charge a minimum of $500 per month. He cautioned that figure was a net figure and didn't include any costs for the developer to have put in the necessary plumbing and heating and other fixtures necessary for housing units. "It sounds like someone would have to charge close to $1,000 a month to rent out an apartment? That won't fly in Holley," an audience member said during the presentation. Tayrien's low range estimates to repair, abate the asbestos and remediate for the environmental concerns would be in the $4.78 million to $6.55 million range. To address only the environmental concerns and remove asbestos would cost between $450,000 and $540,000 - that figure would do nothing to address the buildings' deterioration or the need for a new roof. "We also have concerns that the facade over the main entry is unstable and could collapse," he said. The facade is supported by pillars. The costs to demolish the building would be between $700,000 and $800,000. Concerns were raised by residents as to the view if the school were demolished. "The backs of the buildings behind the school are horrible," a resident said. Tayrien explained that it could be cheaper for a developer to come in, demolish the building and spend between $2 and $4 million to construct a new building. Heath said he has spoken to the woman who he believes is the owner of the building and he said it appears she would be willing to sign the building over to a new owner. The village has been cautioned against taking ownership of the building because of the environmental concerns. "The past due taxes also would need to be addressed," Heath said. Village Mayor John Kenney said he had spoken with a developer who had expressed interest in the building but the last that village officials had heard, the developer couldn't get the necessary funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). "I'd really like to see a developer come in and rehabilitate the facility and see it somehow put to a community use," Heath said. "But, it all comes down to money." Orleans County Legislator George Bower voiced his concern that the village has been maintaining the property and has not discouraged families from coming and picnicking on the grounds. "If that roof collapses and a family is there, that is a scary scenario," he said. "If the building was demolished and replaced, a small park could be put in. It's hard to get money if the building is just torn down." Also, replacing the school with a government building would not mean any additional tax revenue for the village. Joe Sidonio said if the school were torn down and replaced with a government building, there would be no reason for visitors to come and walk around the village. "We need something to draw visitors to the downtown area, we need to create a new environment for the future generations of Holley. When I look at the building, I see superficial damage to a structurally sound concrete and steel building." "I don't think you can operate on a 'build it and they will come' mindset," Bower said. Heath ended the meeting saying he and other committee members welcomed input and comments from residents as the committee moves forward with recommendations on the fate of the building. January 21, 2007 |
