Opposition to Philipstown Senior Center: VIDEO

The Putnam County Legislature is set to vote Sept. 6 on a lease for a senior center in Cold Spring that won't have a $500,000 contribution from Roger and Elizabeth Ailes.

The Putnam Valley Residents Association is up in arms about the lease with Butterfield Realty, saying that the $4.6 million cost is too high for the 15-year lease and renovation.

In all, the 6,000 square-foot space at the Lahey Pavilion will cost the county $26,000 per month, they alleged, arguing that at the end of 15 years the county will have nothing and the developer will have a renovated building to sell.

"We want to dissuade them from approving an horrendous debt burden to the tax payers," the PVRA said, distributing this YouTube video.

The old Butterfield Hospital property is being repurposed by Paul Guillaro, a private developer, into a mixed use complex that, in addition to hosting the senior center, will offer retail, office space and senior housing.

Architectural design firm Todd Zwigard Architects was awarded the contract to redesign the Lahey Pavilion for a state-of-the-art senior center. The plan is to offer more space and services to the aging population on the western side of the county than where services are currently being held.

PHOTO/ Putnam County

The groundbreaking ceremony was July 8 for the center, but opposition not only to the project but to Ailes, the former head of Fox News who lives in Garrison, led him to withdraw his offer to give $500,000 to the senior center and have his non-profit act as its general contractor.

Ailes resigned his position as chairman and acting CEO of Fox News July 21, following claims he sexually harassed female anchors, including Gretchen Carlson, who filed a lawsuit that said he made sexual advances toward her and didn't renew her contract after she refused them. His resignation ended his reign as one of the most powerful and influential figures in the news media.

A month ago the Putnam County Legislature, which had recently reversed its rule against naming county buildings after living people to allow the senior center to be named after Ailes, voted to delay accepting the senior center plan.

However, a $800,000 bond was approved by the Audit Committee Monday and lawmakers are expected to give final approval Sept. 6.

SCREENSHOT from Putnam-Ailes Lease Deal Back From the Dead...and It's Very Scary/ what a mess productions on YouTube