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Building project paused after State Historic Preservation requests options; district may seek voter approval and SED waiver
Summary
Superintendent Swartz told the board the district's building project is paused after New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation asked for additional work. Administrators expect to present a May voter proposition and may request a waiver from NYSED to avoid renovating the historic building at roughly $3.4 million with no state aid.
Superintendent Swartz told the board the district has been contacted by the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation office and that additional work is required before the district can receive approval for its building project.
"We have been contacted through our architect by the New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation group," Swartz said, and the agency asked the district to either bring the building back into district use or arrange for a buyer to move it, the superintendent said (Superintendent Swartz).
Swartz said she is assembling a letter for the preservation office describing the board's prior discussion and the presentation the district received about the building. She said the project is "on pause" while the preservation agency considers the documentation.
Drew explained that the district still plans to present a proposition to voters in May as outlined in the earlier presentation. He said that if voters approve the proposition, the State Education Department (NYSED) will still require justification for not renovating the historic building and may ask the district why it did not request bids to have the structure towed away. Drew said the internal documentation and the PowerPoint showing a $3,400,000 renovation cost with no state aid will be used to justify the district's course.
The transcript records district staff saying it is possible to obtain voter approval and then seek NYSED acceptance of a waiver to avoid renovating the building in place. An architect's review and additional historic-preservation work were described as prerequisites to NYSED acceptance.
The board later approved a separate administrative resolution to serve as lead agency under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) for the project, which is a procedural step in the review and permitting process for facilities work.
