January 31, 2007

NYS Is Requiring BCC To Take Immediate Action On Future Of Alms House;
College Officials Are Evaluating Options For Demolition Or Remediation

-State Cites Structure For Violations & Mandates Immediate Action-

(TOWN OF DICKINSON, NY) Broome Community College President Dr. Laurence Spraggs today announced that the New York State Department of State Office of Fire Prevention and Control (OFPC) has issued numerous citations relating to the structural integrity of the Alms House.

The College received the Notice of Violation on November 14, 2006. The Notice lists four citations associated with the structural integrity of the Alms House. Specifically, the report references a variety of stairways, decks, porches, balconies, sidewalks, driveways, interior and exterior walls, holes, rotting materials and chimneys associated with the Alms House as being structurally unsafe.

“When I first came to the College close to three years ago I was well aware of the long history of the Alms House and the decade’s worth of ongoing discussions with County Officials and a variety of members of the community,” said BCC President Dr. Spraggs. “The Office of Fire Prevention and Control is now requiring the College to take immediate action and we feel it is important to put in place a plan that is reflective of the College’s, County’s and community’s best interests.”

The first measure the College is taking is to erect a chain link fence around the perimeter of the Alms House. This is primarily a safety precaution to prevent the potential for debris to fall off the building as students and visitors walk by. By erecting the fence the OFPC will also grant the College six months to provide a compliance plan, which the OFPC defines as fix or demolish. This extension will allow College Officials to have an in depth dialogue on the best way to proceed. The College has purchased the fence, which is estimated to cost $10,000, and is currently being erected. The process is expected to be completed within the next two days.

“Our options are limited at this point, but we are exploring every possible scenario,” continued Dr. Spraggs. “There are two directions we can proceed; demolish or rehabilitate. Internal and external estimates place the cost of abatement and demolition at approximately seven-hundred thousand dollars, half of which would need to come from Broome County, under the fifty-fifty split to fund Community College Capital Projects.”

“We also estimate it would cost approximately two-million dollars to remediate the Alms House,” stressed Dr. Spraggs. “It’s important to note that this two-million dollar figure does not include the cost of renovation and rehabilitation. We estimate it would cost at least an additional two-million to renovate the structure for use, putting the total cost at more than four-million. Again, under this scenario, the County would be responsible for at least two-million of that cost. Due to rotting materials and other structural issues, there is a distinct possibility that remediation may include partial demolition.”

“The OFPC’s report has initiated a timeline that we must follow,” said Dr. Spraggs. “The report also provides an opportunity to address this issue once and for all. I strongly feel this is an issue that requires immediate attention. We have been meeting with representatives from the Preservation Association of the Southern Tier regarding saving the historic structure. We intend to continue with these dialogues while we work together with the County to craft a solution. No decision has been made yet but, a plan on the future of the Alms House will be in place within the next six months.”