Feeling 'Fatigue,' Mayor Wants 'Decision Now' On Future Of St. Paul's

GARDEN CITY, NY — The future of the idle St. Paul campus takes another step forward with the cost estimates from a contractor. Mayor Mary Carter Flanagan wrote in her weekly newsletter that she awaits clarifications for prices.

When Flanagan took office, she said one of her priorities was to best use the St. Paul's campus.

The building, which dates back to 1870s, has been closed since the village took over the property in 1993, two years after the school shut.

Given that this has been a three-decade struggle to get work done, Flanagan said, "I recognize that many of our residents, tired of hearing the arguing, are now experiencing what some have called 'St. Paul’s Fatigue.'

A mayor's committee was formed in 2021 to look into how to safely reopen St. Paul's.

The mayor and the Board of Trustees are working with Westerman Construction to understand the village's options "and what they will cost."

Estimates released in March indicated costs would be in excess of $100,000 for the renovations.

She said there will be more coming soon about how the village moves ahead.

"We all know the time for a decision is now," Flanagan wrote.