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August 24, 2007, 09:18 AM ET
Historic Structure at Broome Community College Threatened
A historic structure on the campus of Broome Community College, in Broome County, N.Y., may be destroyed.
The Alms House, constructed around 1870, is the last remnant of the county’s “poor farm,” a farm that served unwed mothers, alcoholics, and the disabled. In the 1800s, every county in New York was required to have a poor farm. The house needs millions of dollars for a restoration. News releases from the college have said that those millions have been a “sticking point” in plans to save the house.
Perhaps those sticking points have finally stuck the momentum to save the structure. An op-ed in a local publication suggests that the house is doomed, based on recent developments.
A developer with “a successful track record of similar rehabilitation projects,” according to the article, submitted a plan to renovate the structure, transforming it into student housing with laundry facilities, a coffeehouse, a deli, and a bookstore.
“As proposed, Broome County would retain ownership of the property, and total cost to the county was estimated to be significantly less than the cost of demolition,” the article says. “Too good to be true? On Aug. 14, the developer received notification from BCC, stating ‘on July 26, 2007, the Board of Trustees rejected the Expression of Interest deciding it is not in the best interest of the college to accept the terms and conditions of the proposal.’ No further explanation was given.”
More bad news for the house, according to the article, is the college’s recently completed master plan, composed by Saratoga Associates. The plan, the op-ed says, recommends demolishing the house. (Ironically, in the opening animation on its Web site, Saratoga Associates says that it is in the business of “enriching communities” and “safeguarding special places.”)
“There is no question that preservation of our historic landmarks makes good financial, cultural, and environmental sense, but this situation in particular seems to have much more going for it,” the article says. “All things considered, the building is in fairly good condition, a seemingly good plan for adaptive reuse has been proposed by a capable local developer, and the building provides a unique and recognizable symbol for the college that can serve to differentiate it in a very positive way from any number of other community colleges.”
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