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Wednesday, August 17, 2016
Board looks to sell Park Street School
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Here's an idea, turn the school into a facility for homeless veterans. It would be perfect for it. Set up the classrooms like an army barracks, the cafeteria would be the mess hall, there's a nurse's office for healthcare, etc. Why not provide a public service for people who have actually done something to earn it for a change!
ReplyDeleteBad idea. There are already a myriad of services available for veterans, homeless and otherwise. How about you open up your home to the homeless and see how well it work out?
DeleteSounds good. Organizing and funding are the sticking points, as usual. I am pretty much disorganized, but willing to kick in a buck.
ReplyDeleteHey 9:54, are you for real? Bashing the people who defended your freedom to be an ignorant bag of crap? You make me sick! We veterans put our lives on the line so gutless schmucks like you could stay home and suck up the gravy, and now you would leave us on the street? If you value your freedom, THANK A VET!!!!
ReplyDeleteStop already. Sid you receive a paycheck while you were in the military? Yes you did. All you managed to do while "serving" is to uphold the policies of the 1% who care nothing about you. So stop shoving it down our throats that you fought for our freedom when that is a joje. You deserve no more respect than any person who works at any job in this nation.
DeleteStop already. Sid you receive a paycheck while you were in the military? Yes you did. All you managed to do while "serving" is to uphold the policies of the 1% who care nothing about you. So stop shoving it down our throats that you fought for our freedom when that is a joje. You deserve no more respect than any person who works at any job in this nation.
DeleteWhen we are asked to "support our troops," we are asked to be complicit in their service to an administration which, thanks to the Authorization for the Use of Military Force and the War Powers Act, will use them any way they see fit, even if it's in a "War on Terror."
DeleteThe government has been exceptionally stupid for a long time, expecting that use military power is a solution in itself. Imagine how successful we would have been if LBJ had sent the Army into the South to defeat the Klan. We'd still be fighting them in the streets today.
As a result of government policies, our troops are deceived about their use, grossly underpaid and subjected to far more injury than they are either aware of or receive post-service treatment for.
Bob, apparently you care even less. At least the 1% pay veterans lip service. You insult and demean us. Since you are incapable of showing respect, I'd say you deserve none whatsoever, and given your obviously self-pitying attitude, probably get none!
DeletePeople like Robert make me ill. Veterans deserve alot more then they are given. The one percent you seem to loathe are paying for your housing, food, and probably your healthcare. You have zero respect for people more successful then you. Which is probably the majority of Vermont.
DeleteHe apparently thinks nothing of people LESS successful that he as well, since I was referring to HOMELESS veterans! I wonder if he even acknowledges anyone but himself.
DeleteTown is doing a study that will undoubtedly state like all the previous studies that more parking is needed downtown. Moving the Town Offices to Park Street School would free up numerous parking spaces. Hopefully, the study will indicate that the town already has more than it share of subsidized housing. So using the space for housing should be out of the question. Lets also move Parks and Rec to this building. Those changes alone would take up much of the building. Fix up the auditorium for other uses like performances by the Community Players. Perhaps tear down Town Office to make more parking. Much cheaper than building a parking garage that has been discussed in the past.
ReplyDeleteI liked your post allot. A great idea to preserve this beautiful building as a "useful" town asset. I would love to hear more on this idea...
DeleteWow, they needed a study for that? One pass down Main st was enough for me to see the lack of parking. Seriously, though you've hit on a great point; the astonishing misuse of resources here in town. A complete restructuring of town-owned facilities (including SHA) would be extremely beneficial. I have always been critical of low income housing, especially Section 8. I do, however, put vets in a completely different category than, say, some twenty-something who has never held a job. If Springfield is to be a "dole industry" town, (as some suggest it is,) at least give the resources to those who have sacrificed for the rest of us.
DeleteThis study is to be similar to the marketability study which resulted in the renovation of 100 River Street. No such study has been previously done for Park Street School, and it has been recommended by nearly every committee that has reviewed the Park Street School as it is a precondition to getting private investment in a project. This is the first time, however, that School Board has actually taken the additional step. There have only been, to my knowledge, two other consultant studies regarding the building. One was a cost study of bringing it up to code for continued use as a public school, and another minor study as to what historic preservation funding might be available. This study will demonstrate the market and need for various potential uses of the building, and is essential as part of a recruitment drive. Interesting discussion regarding a service center for Veterans, someone should bring that idea to the attention of the School Board.
DeleteHow many years of this repetitive nonsense does this get to go on before the public final screams "Enough with the Three-card Monte!"? Get the dozers out and get rid of this moneypit.
ReplyDeleteWhat remains of Springfield now remains in a seemingly inescapable do-gooder-good-idea-do-loop. An impenetrable mass of status quo stooges combined with an small army of pie-eyed, self-serving preservationists are now finishing what they started decades ago - adding the final nails in a once good town's coffin.
ReplyDeleteWithout the aid of some well-made American heavy construction equipment brought to bear on the town's aging liabilities like Park Street School, the town can never rise again.
I would love to renovate and re-purpose Park School, but I'd need about $4-6 million in funding and I'd either create apartments, condos or senior housing but... I've got to complete my existing projects before I'd consider tackling this large of a project. So I couldn't take on a project like this for 1-2 years from now.
ReplyDeleteWhat we need is a company to move in there and create jobs
ReplyDeleteNeed to attract big business and create jobs....make sure the price is right so we spark interest....make it a deal they can't refuse...
ReplyDeleteAny business large enough to occupy the aging buildings in this town would more likely build a new facility in a town with better infrastructure. The businesses that left didn't go under, they just moved somewhere else and built modern, efficient buildings that had rail services and access to major airports. Smaller businesses that could rely on trucking for export can make it here, but they'll want to be near the interstate, not up a narrow, winding street through heavy traffic. Either repurpose the downtown area buildings or tear them down.
DeleteI have to partially agree with 7:51. It is unlikely that a big business is going to be interested in Park Street School. In order for the school building to be saved its going to require a mixture of uses including public uses, and a certain amount of creativity by all entities involved. The newer part has some major assets that should be renovated, and it is conceivable that the older part can be renovated and repurposed. Tearing it down will accomplish basically nothing as it is not appropriately situated to provide useful parking to anything. If done properly, it can be a major asset to the Town -- but there has to be an understanding up front, that its repurposing will probably have to involved some public usage and a heavy load of grants.
DeleteFunny, you and Martone want to tear everything else down... but the "Grand Old Dame" of black holes deserves "creativity" and "repurposing"...translation: more time and public money. Get a life.
DeleteWell, public projects require public money, unless you plan to do it all by yourself. Since repurposing or demolition are the only real options, I'm assuming your plan is to let everything rot?
DeleteMy plan is to put a for sale sign on it already.
DeleteNo, my plan is to put a for sale sign on it already.I would however support the school board selling it too the town for $1.00, town renovates it, cop shop, parks and rec, town hall,all move there and rent space back to school offices.
ReplyDeleteThis has been suggested in the past. Some form of consolidation of public uses makes sense. The building as it currently sits probably has little or no market value to a private developer for strictly private purposes. The last committee before the current found that demolishing it would make less economic sense than continuing to partially occupy it. It likely that eventually it will need to be transferred for next to nothing to a not for profit, renovated in phases and then leased back to various entities. Hopefully, the marketability study will give an outsiders view as to the best combination of potential users and the building will be put back into productive use.
Delete