The two parties interested in buying the vacant Curtiss School are expected to present their plans to Hammondsport Central School district officials at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the district's first budget workshop.
Architect Richard Lock, and a representative of a team composed of Peter Krog and Arbor Development are expected to outline their ideas for the 78-year-old, three-story school located on Bauder Street.
Lock and Krog/Arbor submitted letters of intent to the board a couple weeks ago, HCS Superintendent Kyle Bower said.
Both letters of intent included purchase prices but “Ah, we asked them to go back and reconsider their offers,” Bower said.
Lock already has started a campaign for local support of his plans, which range from high-end condos/apartments to a street of shops.
Lock met with the Hammondsport Village Board before the district opened the letters of intent, looking for -- and failing to receive -- assurances portion of the old school grounds would be rezoned.
He also told the village board he was ready to tailor any plans to suit the community.
Krog, developer of the stalled Garrett Landing condominium project in the
village, has teamed up with Arbor Development, although there is little information on what the partners intend to do with the school.
Arbor Development has renovated a number ofbuildings in the region for low-moderate income residents and group homes. Several years ago it renovated the vacated municipal hall on Lake Street into apartments for seniors, despite strident opposition.
Bower said the board will not make its decision based on the building's future, especially since any new owner is not bound to follow through on their original plans.
The board has already gone two rounds with prospective owners after it was closed in July 2010, due to declining enrollment.
The first possible sale, to the Town of Urbana, was soundly defeated by voters in May 2011, in part because voters wanted the building on the tax rolls. The following year, local artist Simon Sananas won the second round with a purchase offer of $301,000 but was unable to raise the capital to support his plans to turn it into an artist’s center.
Any winning bid will be put toward paying off the district’s capital debt on the school, according to state law.
The two parties interested in buying the vacant Curtiss School are expected to present their plans to Hammondsport Central School district officials at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the district's first budget workshop.
Architect Richard Lock, and a representative of a team composed of Peter Krog and Arbor Development are expected to outline their ideas for the 78-year-old, three-story school located on Bauder Street.
Lock and Krog/Arbor submitted letters of intent to the board a couple weeks ago, HCS Superintendent Kyle Bower said.
Both letters of intent included purchase prices but “Ah, we asked them to go back and reconsider their offers,” Bower said.
Lock already has started a campaign for local support of his plans, which range from high-end condos/apartments to a street of shops.
Lock met with the Hammondsport Village Board before the district opened the letters of intent, looking for -- and failing to receive -- assurances portion of the old school grounds would be rezoned.
He also told the village board he was ready to tailor any plans to suit the community.
Krog, developer of the stalled Garrett Landing condominium project in the
village, has teamed up with Arbor Development, although there is little information on what the partners intend to do with the school.
Arbor Development has renovated a number ofbuildings in the region for low-moderate income residents and group homes. Several years ago it renovated the vacated municipal hall on Lake Street into apartments for seniors, despite strident opposition.
Bower said the board will not make its decision based on the building's future, especially since any new owner is not bound to follow through on their original plans.
The board has already gone two rounds with prospective owners after it was closed in July 2010, due to declining enrollment.
The first possible sale, to the Town of Urbana, was soundly defeated by voters in May 2011, in part because voters wanted the building on the tax rolls. The following year, local artist Simon Sananas won the second round with a purchase offer of $301,000 but was unable to raise the capital to support his plans to turn it into an artist’s center.
Any winning bid will be put toward paying off the district’s capital debt on the school, according to state law.
