St Paul's School (Garden City, New York)
Encyclopedia
St. Paul's School is a 500 room brick edifice in the Village of Garden City
, New York
, United States
. It is not currently used and is under threat of demolition.
This building of High Victorian Gothic
design, erected in 1879 along with the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City
, and St. Mary's School, as a memorial to the multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart
, is currently vacant. It was originally an all-boys college preparatory and science boarding school owned by the Cathedral of the Incarnation in the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. Its aim was professed by its headmaster Frederick Luther Gamage to be to "develop manly, Christian character, a strong physique, and the power to think."
The AIA
Architectural Guide to Nassau and Suffolk Counties describes the building as having "poly-chromatic voussoir arched windows, elaborate cast-iron balustrades, and Dorchester stone trim." The building was selected in 2003 by the Preservation League of New York State as one of its "Seven to Save" endangered properties (view newsletter).
On December 16, 2004 the Village Board of the Incorporated Village of Garden City voted to dedicate the 48 acre (194,000 m²) St. Paul's School site as Parkland, with then Mayor Barbara Miller voting twice to break the tie of 4 board members in favor and 4 members opposed. Removal of the Parkland designation would require the approval of the New York State Legislature.
The building was sold to the Incorporated Village of Garden City in 1993. The residents of Garden City are as of yet unable to come up with a viable reuse plan for the school. The Mayor of Garden City appointed a committee to make recommend uses for the buildings. The Mayor's committee recommended that the property be redeveloped, and leased for 99 years to a private Senior Assisted Living firm. This proposal was controversial, because there was no municipal use of the buildings, because the proposal increased the building footprint and decreased green space, and because the leases would not have generated any significant tax revenues.
In 1995, a preliminary inspection and evaluation, Tishman Speyer Properties
, was done on the potential to adapt the St. Paul's buildings as the new Garden City High School. Tishman Speyer submitted four preliminary designs to the Garden City Board of Education for their consideration. The proposal was supported by many of the younger families, however, the Eastern Property Owners Association vigorously lobbied the Board of Education, not to consider it, out of fear it cost more, and the Board of Education eventually took it off the table. Ironically, the alternative cost of renovating the Garden City Middle and High School subsequently proved to be even more.
A Village wide opinion poll was held in 1996, with voters being offered a "yes" or "no", if they supported the Senior Assisted Living initiative at St. Paul's. The vote was 50.1% opposed, and 49.9% in favor.
A Village wide opinion poll was held on December 2, 2008. The results were (http://www.gardencityny.net/pdfs/SKMBT_75008120308480.pdf) Approve Demolition: 2,272 votes (45.4%); Approve Mothballing of Main Building: 1,857 votes (37.1%); Approve of the Avalon Bay proposal: 873 votes (17.5%) - Total Voter Turnout 5,002.
The Village Board of the Incorporated Village of Garden City is considering the demolition (http://www.gardencityny.net/pdfs/SKMBT_75009050810170.pdf) of the building to add to open space. It is currently undergoing environmental reviews of the demolition proposal. Demolition would only save the village $100,000 a year in maintenance charges.
Garden City, New York
Garden City is a village in the town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, in the United States. It was founded by multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart in 1869, and is located on Long Island, to the east of New York City, from mid-town Manhattan, and just south of the town of...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is not currently used and is under threat of demolition.
This building of High Victorian Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
design, erected in 1879 along with the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City
Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City
The Cathedral of the Incarnation is an Episcopal church in Garden City, New York, and the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. The Cathedral was established in 1876 as a memorial to and mausoleum for Garden City founder, Alexander Turney Stewart...
, and St. Mary's School, as a memorial to the multi-millionaire Alexander Turney Stewart
Alexander Turney Stewart
Alexander Turney Stewart was a successful Irish American entrepreneur who made his multi-million fortune in what was at the time the most extensive and lucrative dry goods business in the world....
, is currently vacant. It was originally an all-boys college preparatory and science boarding school owned by the Cathedral of the Incarnation in the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. Its aim was professed by its headmaster Frederick Luther Gamage to be to "develop manly, Christian character, a strong physique, and the power to think."
The AIA
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
Architectural Guide to Nassau and Suffolk Counties describes the building as having "poly-chromatic voussoir arched windows, elaborate cast-iron balustrades, and Dorchester stone trim." The building was selected in 2003 by the Preservation League of New York State as one of its "Seven to Save" endangered properties (view newsletter).
On December 16, 2004 the Village Board of the Incorporated Village of Garden City voted to dedicate the 48 acre (194,000 m²) St. Paul's School site as Parkland, with then Mayor Barbara Miller voting twice to break the tie of 4 board members in favor and 4 members opposed. Removal of the Parkland designation would require the approval of the New York State Legislature.
The building was sold to the Incorporated Village of Garden City in 1993. The residents of Garden City are as of yet unable to come up with a viable reuse plan for the school. The Mayor of Garden City appointed a committee to make recommend uses for the buildings. The Mayor's committee recommended that the property be redeveloped, and leased for 99 years to a private Senior Assisted Living firm. This proposal was controversial, because there was no municipal use of the buildings, because the proposal increased the building footprint and decreased green space, and because the leases would not have generated any significant tax revenues.
In 1995, a preliminary inspection and evaluation, Tishman Speyer Properties
Tishman Speyer Properties
Tishman Speyer Properties is a real estate building and operating company set up in 1978 by two founding partners, Jerry Speyer and Robert Tishman.-Overview:...
, was done on the potential to adapt the St. Paul's buildings as the new Garden City High School. Tishman Speyer submitted four preliminary designs to the Garden City Board of Education for their consideration. The proposal was supported by many of the younger families, however, the Eastern Property Owners Association vigorously lobbied the Board of Education, not to consider it, out of fear it cost more, and the Board of Education eventually took it off the table. Ironically, the alternative cost of renovating the Garden City Middle and High School subsequently proved to be even more.
A Village wide opinion poll was held in 1996, with voters being offered a "yes" or "no", if they supported the Senior Assisted Living initiative at St. Paul's. The vote was 50.1% opposed, and 49.9% in favor.
A Village wide opinion poll was held on December 2, 2008. The results were (http://www.gardencityny.net/pdfs/SKMBT_75008120308480.pdf) Approve Demolition: 2,272 votes (45.4%); Approve Mothballing of Main Building: 1,857 votes (37.1%); Approve of the Avalon Bay proposal: 873 votes (17.5%) - Total Voter Turnout 5,002.
The Village Board of the Incorporated Village of Garden City is considering the demolition (http://www.gardencityny.net/pdfs/SKMBT_75009050810170.pdf) of the building to add to open space. It is currently undergoing environmental reviews of the demolition proposal. Demolition would only save the village $100,000 a year in maintenance charges.
Notable alumni
- Henry C. AllenHenry C. AllenHenry Crosby Allen was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1905 to 1907....
(1872–1942), represented New JerseyNew JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
's 6th congressional districtNew Jersey's 6th congressional districtNew Jersey's Sixth Congressional District is currently represented by Democrat Frank Pallone. In the 2010 election, Pallone defeated Republican Anna C...
in the United States House of RepresentativesUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from 1905 to 1907. - Joe MohenJoe MohenJoseph T. Mohen, better known as Joe Mohen, was the CEO and co-founder of election.com, which ran the Arizona Democratic Primary in March 2000, the world’s first legally binding election conducted on the Internet, according to the company...
Internet Entrepreneur, graduated in 1974 - Freddy Trump- brother of Donald Trump, graduated in 1957.
- Harry WhitneyHarry WhitneyHarry Whitney was an American sportsman, adventurer, and author. He traveled to northern Greenland with Robert Peary in 1908, staying over the winter with the Eskimos at Etah and Annoatok. In the spring of 1909 Whitney found himself at the center of the controversy between Frederick Cook and Peary...
(1873-1936), Hunter, author, and adventurer who went to Greenland with the Peary expedition in 1908, and stayed with the Eskimos through the winter.
External links
- Committee to Save St. Paul's
- Save St. Paul's Facebook Group
- Article "Uncertain Fate for Long Island School"
- Historic News Clipping from Old Days of St. Paul's School
- News Clipping from Garden City Life reporting on the Dedication of St. Paul's School as Park Land
- Incorporated Village of Garden City Website with links to St. Paul's "Village Facts"