By: Jerry Burke
For almost 19 years, the Alva T. Stanforth Junior High School building has stood abandoned along Hempstead Turnpike. Next Wednesday, the voters in Elmont have a chance to not only solve that problem, but nab themselves a new state-of-the-art library.
Once the Sewanhaka High School District Board approved the proposal to sell 3.75 acres of the 21-acre property to the Elmont School District last year, the plan to knock down most of the existing building and use the property to benefit the community was set in motion.
"People in Elmont have had to stare at that disgusting building for almost 20 years," Elmont Library Board President Brian Lynn said at Sunday's public information hearing. "They have a choice: stare at it for another 20 years or tear it down and use it for something useful."
Residents will be voting for two issues on the Jan. 21 referendum. First, the 20-year, $14.5 million bond proposal that includes the purchasing of the land and the construction of a 56,000-square-foot library and a 208-space parking lot. Second, residents in the Sewanhaka district must approve the sale of the 3.745 acres of land for the agreed upon price of $2,146,000.
"Taxpayers in the Sewanhaka district have had to pay for the upkeep of a building we don't even use," said Lynn. "If the referendum doesn't pass, they're going to tear it down anyway and we'll have to pay for that as well."
The ambitious plan, being overseen by architect Angelo Corvo, calls for the Stanforth building's auditorium to be salvaged and converted into the new library's 475-seat theater, complete with a stage. "Right now, the largest number of patrons we can have at a program is 75," said Library Director Janis Schoen. "We don't like sending people away."
The current library building, used as such for the past 35 years, is filled to capacity and has parking for only 20 vehicles. The new building, says Schoen, will not only allow for an increase in book collection, computers and meeting space (a 79 percent increase over the current building), but would allow for possible future expansion should it be required.
According to the Library Board, the cost to the average Elmont household (assessed at $2,523) would come out to approximately $58.15 per year. "At $1.12, that's a cup of coffee a week," said Lynn.
Not everyone at Sunday's meeting was excited about the proposal. A man who declined to be identified complained that the school taxes were already too high for the district, and he "refused to pay anymore."
The project's business manager, Frank Marino, pointed out that library taxes for Elmont were among the lowest in Nassau County, clocking in at an average of about $100 a year. "Another great part about the plan," continued Marino, "is that we're projecting only a 10 percent increase in operational cost once the new library opens." Lynn said that the size of the staff would only need to increase by four -- one full-time worker and three part-timers -- and that the newer, more efficient technology available with a new building will help keep utilities under control.
Other features of the proposal include a 40 percent increase in children's services, a special Young Adults section and a senior's liaison office that would be geared solely toward senior programs.
Because the Elmont School District would own the property, the auditorium area would be open and available to the public longer than the operating hours of the library. "It would be the same building, but with separate entrances," said Corvo.
The site's remaining acreage would continued to be used by the Sewanhaka district as athletic fields. With the passage of the bond, the district would then move ahead with building an additional soccer field where most of the building now stands, as well as a separate but connected 70-space lot.
The old building would still be owned by the school district and could be sold, rented out or leased at its discretion. Construction, should the bond pass, will begin in January 2005 and is scheduled to be complete 14 months later, in March 2006.
The recent history of library bonds bodes well for the board. Last June, residents of West Hempstead approved a $9.975 million referendum to build a new West Hempstead Library after a close defeat two years earlier. In 1998, residents of Franklin Square passed a $2.24 million bond to expand the Franklin Square Library.
Last June, voters in Elmont overwhelmingly passed their school budget by a 1,029-to-652 margin despite facing certain increases. "Elmont has shown it is an education-focused community," said Assemblyman Tom Alfano. "I hope this bond passes."
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday for residents at whichever elementary school they go to vote on the school budgets. Voters are asked to call the school district at 326-5500, ext. 31, if they have questions about where to vote. The library has information on the proposal.
