Committee To Save St. Paul's Submits RFP Response

Editor's Note: The following article was submitted by Maureen Traxler, administrative and communications director for the Committee to Save St. Paul's.

After many years of listening to and speaking with residents about the present and future needs in the Village of Garden City, the Committee to Save St. Paul's has responded to the Village RFP with a practical and achievable solution for development of the Historic St. Paul's Main Building as a combination of community center, senior center and residential apartments targeted to seniors. This compromise solution preserves the historic integrity of St. Paul's and provides community space for all Village residents at an extremely reasonable cost to taxpayers.

While ensuring continued public use of a significant portion of the building and accommodating the growing senior population, the Committee's mixed-use proposal calls for the establishment of a "partnership" consisting of the private sector, the nonprofit community and the Village. The Committee, under its St. Paul's Conservancy nonprofit standing, would operate as an essential member/partner, allowing the entity to take advantage of federal and New York State rehabilitation tax credits. It's the Committee's belief that a number of public and private funding and grant programs for historic properties give higher priority and preference to nonprofit sponsors. This organizational structure allows the Village to maintain its ownership of the entire property, control the use of the building and preserve a priceless legacy for future generations of Garden City residents.

The Committee to Save St. Paul's feels that its projections for environmental abatement and demolition of Ellis Hall, restoration and construction within the "E" footprint of the Main Building, along with contingency costs, are very "conservative" and assume reasonable cost increases each year. Residents should understand that the Committee's proposal calls for the establishment of a "partnership," consisting of the Village, a developer and a nonprofit entity, namely, the St. Paul's Conservancy Corp. The partnership will enter into long-term financing at market rates.

However, the key to this partnership is that the nonprofit member, because of its status, can bring in tax credits for rehabilitation, and public and private grant funds that will reduce the cost of the borrowing. Under the Committee's proposal, Village residents will be responsible for the Village's rental of the public space (approximately 19,000 square feet of prime space in the Historic Main Building). Using the Village's calculation of taxes for the "average home," that translates into an estimated $100 per household per year.

Most important, the Committee believes that their proposal is the only one that has a chance of gaining the support of a large majority of Village residents and state legislators to secure the necessary special Home Rule legislation and relief from parkland designation, which now restrict the disposition of the property to public use only. This solution represents the only real hope of protecting this historic monument from the wrecker's ball.

The Proposal

The Committee to Save St. Paul's proposal meets the Village RFP criteria, which calls for development within the footprint of the historic Main Building, and contains no new construction for housing on the site. The demolition of Ellis Hall provides for comparable square footage in the rear of the building to accommodate parking.

The Committee's development proposal includes approximately 62 upscale, one-, two- and three-bedroom units, ranging in size from 500 to 1,600 square feet. The rental units will reflect the unique character and charm of a special historic building like St. Paul's, and will be marketed to Garden City seniors. This focus addresses a major demographic shift within our community, the growing need among the Village's own population of empty-nesters.

By selecting rental housing over condominiums, the development can avail itself of rehabilitation tax credits, which provide an important source of financing. The other clear benefit of rental housing is the "ground lease" arrangement, which allows the Village and its resident to retain ownership and control over the property in perpetuity.

The Committee's proposal includes approximately 19,000 square feet for community use in the west wing and the southwest section of the first floor, the corresponding space below on the ground level, the area under the chapel and the chapel. A new senior center sketched out in the proposal provides considerably more space for senior activities than the Village's two existing facilities. Located in the west wing of the first floor, this center can bring opportunities for residents to enjoy activities in one of the more beautiful areas of the building.

Remaining space, dedicated for public use, also includes the original dining room located under the chapel, and the chapel, which has great appeal to residents and incorporates such grand detail and wonderful potential for use, such as a site for banquets, concerts, receptions, recitals and other events.

As a result of conversations with developers in recent weeks, the Committee believes that its proposal provides what might be the largest devotion of space in prime areas of the historic building for resident use, including access through the main entranceway. The overall "community area" can be used to meet the demand for meeting and gathering space that has been detailed at length in previous community surveys.

Committee's professional team

The Committee's project architect and development consultant were recommended by the Preservation League of New York State, a statewide nonprofit organization that promotes historic preservation.

Stephen Tilly, an architect located in Dobbs Ferry, specializes in well-designed, finely crafted public, institutional, commercial and residential projects. Their expertise covers a wide range of property types: libraries, mixed use development and housing.

The firm has conducted historic structure and landscape studies and prepared drawings and specifications for historic properties working with local, state and federal agencies. In Irvington, NY, the firm shaped the political and development process for recycling an historic factory and office complex into a mixed use building containing a new public library with 22 units of housing. The project received numerous honors from organizations such as the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, the Preservation League of New York State and the American Institute of Architects. Current projects include the restoration of A.J. Davis' Swiss Factory Lodge and the revival of three 19th century worker houses and association landscape at Historic Hudson Valley's Montgomery Place.

Development consultant Murray Gould, founder of Port City Preservation LLC, provides services on a wide range of adaptive reuse and rehabilitation initiatives, and has a proven track record in utilizing creative and innovative financing opportunities. Prior to founding his firm in 1995, Gould served as chief tax executive for a number of investor-owned electric utilities, including the Long Island Lighting Company. Gould has been involved in numerous successful historic restoration and adaptive reuse projects primarily in North Carolina and upstate New York. He is currently working on a $10 million adaptive reuse project for the Oswego Public Library.

The Committee to Save St. Paul's is also tapping the resources of Richard Chirls, Esq., one of the country's foremost authorities on the tax aspects of public finance transactions.

Conclusion

The Committee to Save St. Paul's proposal represents the best opportunity for the Village and its residents to preserve the historic Main Building at St. Paul's, maintain public ownership and control, and continue a legacy to current and future residents that protects our property values and maintains the unique residential quality of our Village. Moreover, it has the best chance of successfully galvanizing the community support needed to obtain crucial state legislative approval.

Peter Negri, former trustee and president of the Committee to Save St. Paul's, commented: "The Committee feels it has been responsive to the community in its proposal to redevelop St. Paul's. We hope residents agree. And if so, we urge you to write or call your trustees and Senator Kemp Hannon to offer your support for the Committee's proposal. For those who want to know more, please keep your eyes out for community presentations of the Committee's proposal. Over the next several weeks, we hope to reach out to as many of you as we can.