Panel to update plan for St. Paul's

The Committee to Save St. Paul's has withdrawn its $8.2-million proposal to restore the historic school, Garden City village officials announced Thursday night.

Village trustees and residents were taken aback by the request from the independent group to resubmit an updated plan in 45 days. Some at the village meeting were concerned that the committee, which is working with the Garden City Historical Society, had underestimated the cost to revitalize the 132-year-old building and didn't account for likely construction cost overages.

"To go on and continue to spend money on this project is a joke," said 25-year village resident Arnold Finamore, 74, citing a January report by an outside firm that serves as the village architect. The report said it would cost $40 million to fully restore and stabilize the building.

"Any logical person would say there is a credibility problem here," said trustee Nicholas Episcopia.

J. Edmund Keating, vice president of the committee, said Friday that he stands behind the group's cost calculations and that overages are included in the plan. The group's resubmission will address concerns that have been raised, Keating said, but declined to give any details about possible plan changes.

"Our numbers are accurate," Keating said. "Our plan is doable, affordable and it can happen in a short period of time."

The committee's plan is to rehabilitate 10,500 square feet of the building at the corner of Stewart and Rockaway avenues and turn it into a community center. The plan calls for refurbishing the first floor parlors and hallways, a second floor chapel, and sealing off the rest of the 130,000-square-foot structure. The work would include a new roof, smoke alarms, sprinklers, heat and air conditioning systems, repairs on windows and other items.

The three-year project would be funded through grants, donations and tax dollars, Keating said. The village has spent at least $100,000 a year since 1993 to maintain the four-story red brick building, which has about 500 rooms.

"All we want to do is preserve the building," said Keating, pointing out voters rejected a $3.75-million plan to demolish it in April.

Village officials said once they receive the updated plan, they will rehire Manhattan-based Erwin Lobo Bielinski Pllc, the village architect, to review the proposal.

"Hopefully, we can work with the committee for a reasonable proposal in the future," said trustee Dennis C. Donnelly.