Vacant Spaces: What Should Tappan Hill School Be?

The would like to move all its childcare and youth programs into the soon-to-be empty school up the hill. Way up the hill.

One mother commented in response to that she enrolls her children at the Y because of its central location, its “tot drop” option for more casual, short-term care, and the pool.

The tot drop option at least, said VP Barbara Turk in response, would most likely continue at the Y. The other points are trade-offs that YMCA officials deem well worth the many benefits (kids having more space to play indoors and out, parking, room to grow).

The former public kindergarten building, two rooms of which are now occupied by , might be an obvious match for the Y. The Tarrytown Union Free School District that owns the space seems to agree.

Superintendent Howard Smith confirmed that the TUFSD had put out a call for proposals on the space to local childcare facilities before Green Meadow made its announcement. They had wanted any future tenants to work well alongside this other program for young children. Now that the whole school will be vacant, their interest in something with children, especially younger children, and from a local organization, still stands.

In response to the call for proposals, the YMCA had been “the only formal expression” of interest so far with a deadline to submit only hours away (the end of the day yesterday), said Smith. The schools are on vacation next week, then Smith intends to look through proposal(s) with the Board and report back soon.

The same mom-commenter on Patch had asked what happens if the school district's density merits moving the youngest grades back into this school? We in turn posed this question to Smith who said, “that's one of the reason why we wouldn't consider selling the property.”

Though he understood that no organization could go through the time and expense of moving without a good long lease, they legally could not offer more than a five-year-term (renewable) and there would have to be conditions attached.

That said, Smith said that before asking for proposals on the space, they studied the school population growth rates in the district. “We don't have evidence of the kind of enrollment pressure that would force us to go back there,” he said. “It does appear that for the foreseeable future by a reasonably conservative estimate that we would not need the space.”

As a non-for-profit, the school district is "not allowed to treat our resources as profit centers,” he said. Rather, Smith was interested in getting help covering the maintenance of the building, utility costs, and keeping the place warm in the winter. “We don't just want to board it up,” he said. That, along with a desire to create something of benefit for the community.

Are you a local organization that could use all or part of this facility for child-related programs? What would you like to see in this space? Though it's too late to submit your proposal officially, your opinions are always welcome here. Tell us in the comments.