Clymer school board hears about potential new building uses
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CLYMER -- As the process continues for the potential merger of the Clymer, Sherman and Panama school districts, each district has also been presented with a study that shows the possibility of future uses for each school building if the merger were to be approved.
During the Clymer Board of Education's August meeting, the building repurpose analysis study, or a test fit feasibility study, was presented by Joe Kosiorek, architect with SWBR's Rochester office. Kosiorek presented the analysis individually to all three school districts at their meetings, giving them a brief overview of the documents that the boards had already seen.
"By nature a test fit feasibility study is a high-level, first step to understanding what we want to look at to support you as you go through the merger study process, potentially to a merger vote," Kosiorek said. "We want to give your community the opportunity to make an informed decision when it comes time for a merger vote."
There are three potential options that could be included in a repurpose of Clymer's current school building. With the merger feasibility study, the recommendation is that all students in grades seven through 12 will go to Panama's facility, with Clymer and Sherman keeping their elementary students in their respective facilities until that is no longer feasible. The other two potential uses along with that for Clymer's building includes senior housing and an area for a community center.
A question was raised if the plan to use the building for multiple things would be allowed if the plan to keep the elementary students in the building were to happen, which Kosiorek said it would be. Additionally, he said a conversation with the state Education Department was scheduled for the Monday after the meeting, and more information on how that would work could be shared after the information is presented and discussed with the Panama and Sherman school boards as well.
Kosiorek said it is possible for Clymer's building to be subdivided, showing areas on the floor and site plans where vertical or fire walls can be placed for that to work, also discussing how fire walls are constructed. With the building being subdivided, he said while it would still be one building, the state Education Department would be able to look at it as separate ones.
Questions were also raised about if the school was still to own the building and lease it out to other places, and how that would work. Kosiorek said his understanding is that the state Education Department isn't a big fan of schools being landlords. Another question was asked if they could do it the opposite way, selling the whole building and then the school leasing out the section for the elementary, which Kosiorek said is acceptable and something he has seen, but is something that would be another later conversation. Whether there was value in tearing down part of the building was also discussed, which Kosiorek said the value to doing that would be a lot less than keeping the building and using it for other purposes.
Kosiorek then went over the floor and site plans with the board, showing just how the building could be sub-divided for the three uses of an elementary school, senior housing, and a community center, with plans for each floor of the current building.
"The goal of the fit test feasibility study is not to determine what your best case uses are," Kosiorek said. "Its goal is to understand if there's a possibility for other uses and adaptive reuse through a sub-divided building."
He also noted that whether or not a developer would be willing to come and do the work for the building is something they cannot know yet at this time. Superintendent Beth Olson added that with the other two districts involved, the market study being the next step could show that maybe they would not have the market to have three senior housing facilities in the region, even if it was something applicable at all sites.
The market study would be the next step and would be considered after a successful merger vote in December. The building fit test shows there are potential for other uses for the building.
The current merger timeline sees the official petition open at the August 18 town hall meeting at the Sherman Fire Hall. Two other town halls are set in Panama on September 16 and Clymer September 24, though everyone from any community is welcome at all three meetings. If enough petition signatures are gathered by the closing date October 1, the final statutory vote is scheduled for December. The board noted that all three boards do not want to abandon their buildings, and part of what they have heard so far is that there is a big concern in each community as to what will happen with the buildings if the merger is approved.
"I think everyone is very careful not to put the cart in front of the horse, but we know there is a big concern if the merger is successful, what happens to the building," Olson said. "The whole idea of engaging with you and your team was to simply show that we're showing a priority to the building and trying to take those next steps. This was the next step and then we will wait and see what happens with the process and then move forward with the market study."
The building fit test also shows that there are options for the building if the merger does go through.
Following a discussion of the different options, including some of the options for all three schools, and looking over the site and floor plans that show the potential options for the building, along with some other questions from the board, such as on building aid, Kosiorek wrapped up his presentation. The board said having this information now will help to answer some questions that will likely come up at the town hall meetings. If a lot of questions come up about the fit test and repurposing the buildings, there is the potential for Kosiorek to be available at some of the town halls to answer some questions as well. Kosiorek commended Clymer, Sherman and Panama's districts for taking the time to go through each step of the process and getting as much information as possible.
"This is very exciting and could lead to many new things," Kosiorek said. "There's a lot of also fear out there, so you can try to assuage any fears that come out of these conversations."
More information on the CSP merger study and process can be found at CSPhub.org. Questions are still able to be sent via email as well to CSPstudy@e2ccb.org.