CSSP Speaks Out About Board's Actions

Peter Negri, president of the Committee to Save St. Paul’s, is speaking out about the village board's recent 5-3 vote to reject the committee's proposal for partial reuse of St. Paul's, stating the committee is not surprised that Erwin & Bielinski reached a conclusion that mirrors what it presented to the board during the Environmental Impact Study nearly two years ago.

Here is Negri's statement in full:

The Committee to Save St. Paul’s (CSSP) stands by the proposal it presented jointly with The Garden City Historical Society to the Garden City Village Board of Trustees. That proposal was based on a comprehensive plan, developed by reputable engineers and architects with experience in historic preservation.

The Committee also sought input and recommendations from experts in various fields, who are themselves Village residents, and who volunteered their time and experience. In addition, the Committee put its proposal under the microscope, and an outside architect found it to be in compliance with ALL state and local building codes.

At the request of the Board, the costs of our proposal were verified by an independent third party consultant, Lawless and Mangione, recommended by the Village. Most important, our proposal and all of the reviews were made at no cost to the Village.

CSSP never stated that its proposal would make use of the entire building; instead, the proposal was presented as a viable “first step,” protecting the entire building and adhering to all fire safety measures throughout the building. We outlined usage of about 10,500 square feet for community space. None of the work to be done was “throw-away,” but could be incorporated into future uses.

Unfortunately, the Committee is not surprised that Erwin & Bielinski has now reached a conclusion on the CSSP proposal that mirrors what it presented to the Board during the Environmental Impact Study nearly two years ago. Residents must be reminded that this Board of Trustees then presented a referendum to demolish St. Paul’s to the voters in April 2011. But the people, 4,400 strong, reached a different conclusion—and defeated the referendum by an overwhelming 3-to-1 margin.