The former Parker School building on Madison Street in the city of Cortland.. (Photo Source: Kevin L. Smith of The Cortland Voice).
The City of Cortland’s Parker School Ad-Hoc Planning Committee is holding a public input meeting this week at the former Parker school building on Madison Street.
The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 28). Councilperson Katy Silliman (D-2nd Ward) said the meeting is primarily for residents who live around the building, but noted it is open to the entire community.
“We want to find out what the community will support to put in the school,” Silliman said at last Tuesday’s Common Council meeting.
The search continues for the city to find a potential buyer or developer for the building. The search came to a brief halt when Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS), a non-profit organization, submitted a proposal to turn the school building into quality housing for modest income workers. INHS proposed the idea of making the building into a for-rent workforce housing that would include up to 50 units.
INHS’s proposal received overwhelming opposition from city residents, including ones who live around the former school building in wards one and two. This prompted mayor Scott Steve and city council members to go back to the drawing board.
“The idea is to get some public input (at Thursday’s meeting) on what (residents would) like to see there and talk about what they wouldn’t want to be there,” Steve said.
Steve noted at last Tuesday’s council meeting that the city has been talking to local developers about potential projects, including their level of interest and support. Silliman said the Parker School committee will weigh those options alongside further ideas from the community.
Steve said that at Thursday’s meeting, discussions can range from what residents want to keep on the property to what could be done to the structure of the building. The city will also look into updating zoning for the building’s property, Steve added.
Background on the recent news circulating the former Parker School building can be viewed by clicking here.
