September 28, 2009

Former school likely to be razed

City leaders said Monday the only want to keep the former South Chippens School in order to knock it down.
There doesn’t appear to be much support for preserving the 1936 schoolhouse next door to the Hill Street firehouse.
On a tour of the building, city councilors and Board of Finance members said they don’t see much historical value and only want to keep the place so that it can be razed whenever the planned firehouse expansion takes place.
“I think there’s a need to retain the property,” Mayor Art Ward said. He said he wants it to be available for the fire department’s use.
When the new 900-student school is constructed down the street, Ward said, the expanded firehouse will be necessary.
City Councilor Ken Cockayne said he doesn’t want the city to spend money on upkeep if it’s going to tear the building down.
No formal decision on the building’s fate has been made, but officials gave little indication they see merit in preserving the 165 Hill St. structure.
John Smith, finance board member, said he was assistant superintendent when the school closed in 1973. At the time, it was used for special education, he said.
“Before that, it was a two-room schoolhouse,” Smith said, that opened in 1936 on a site used for schools since 1755.
“It’s not even 100 years old,” city Councilor Cliff Block said.
“The historical significance is out the window,” Ward said. “I don’t think we should put a lot of money in it.”
“We can use it for cold storage in the meantime,” Cockayne said.
Public Works Director Walter Veselka said it’s his job to take care of all the city’s building unless there’s a deliberate choice made not to maintain it.
City department heads said they are willing to do whatever the policy makers decide, including whether to pay about $6,000 annually to keep heating the structure a bit.
“I can’t ignore it. I just need a conscious decision. It can’t be a decision by no decision,” Veselka said.
“If I’m going to be responsible for it, I’m going to need a budget to go along with it,” Fire Chief Jon Pose said.
Pose said his department can get by without using it for storage. He said he could also share the space with other departments, if any are interested.
The upper floor of the old brick schoolhouse has a checkerboard tile floor, quite worn, and two large rooms separated by a small central office. Each of the larger rooms has a tiny office.
There are a few bathrooms that are still working.
The stairs are wooden, with a wooden banister. The basement may have been used as a gymnasium, with a fireplace on one end. An old slate chalkboard still hangs on the wall.
The plaster walls have some flaws and some paint is peeling on the basement walls.
There are many large windows throughout the building that appear to be original, giving it a light and airy feeling – at least on a nice autumn afternoon.
The structure has been vacant since the nonprofit CW Resources moved out a year and a half ago for new quarters on Broad Street. It had been paying $1 a year to use the building since 1974.

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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Public works director a real space shot.

Anonymous said...

They should sell the bricks and use the money to build a new boys club.

Anonymous said...

No historical value?

This is ridiculous! I have never met a community with less respect for its own history.

Anonymous said...

Oh so now its $6k a year to heat but a month ago they were telling us it's $10k?? Who pocketed the
$4k difference huh? I gues it doesn't matter much, considering that both amounts are GROSSLY over stated. Have you seen the size of that building? It's no bigger than my house and I only spend about $1,500 to heat for the winter at 72 degrees. They only keep that building around 55 last I recall. So why the heck would it cost
$6-10k to heat?? Another waste of money. Lets see the heating bills Ward!!

Hey I know how we can heat it. Since most Public Works employees that are out "on the road" all day tend to hide and nap in various locations up on Chippens Hills instead of working...maybe we should turn this into a luxury clubhouse for them. Then we can use all the hot air they expel to heat the building. Or maybe just start holding the council meetings there...that would be enough hot air to heat the place AND the firestation next door!This Town is a joke. There is no end to the waste and insanity.

Anonymous said...

As Casey Stengel said "can't anyone here play this game?"

Anonymous said...

What will it cost to expand the building, provide equipment, and staff it?

Anonymous said...

Too bad Veselka's professionalism isn't appreciated.

Odin said...

We have a Bristol Historical Society, and a Bristol Historical Commission. Why hasn't anyone asked those two agencies for a professional opinion?

Steve Collins said...

8:38 PM - The $10K was to maintain and heat the building. $6K is just a guess on heating oil costs, based on last winter's total. It could be more, could be less. They kept the building at 50 degrees.
I don't know why it takes so much to heat such a small building to such a low temp. But it does have a lot of old windows and probably lacks insulation.

Anonymous said...

regarding 8:47 post.

I was referring to the cost of expanding staffing and additional equipment when they expand the firehouse.

Any thoughts?

Anonymous said...

8:38 Sounds like he could produce enough hot air to heat the entire City. Talk about insanity!

Anonymous said...

Call me a sentimental fool, but I'd like to see it stay. Maybe its not 200 years old, but at 75 years it seems to have some historical Value. Especially in the context that it was a one room school house. There are only a few of the older buildings left from old Chippens Hill and it'd be nice to see it converted in a way that can be useful to the Fire Dept, but keep the historical element intact...

Anonymous said...

7:22am - Shut up Ward. Truth is being told and that is all you have to offer?

Anonymous said...

11:02 AM - Once again...I AM NOT WARD. Comprende? Believe me when I say that MANY, MANY people find your baseless assumptions and pointless, silly comments laughable (and full of plenty of hot air). LMFAO!!!

Kenneth Lundquist, Jr. said...

Bristol was shaped on the assumption that future generations would care for and preserve that which is relevant and necessary. It's important to remember that our city officials are there because we elected them. If there is an honest dispute over public domain, then voice your thoughts through the proper channels.
Change is inevitable, dealing with it in a positive and constructive manner best serves the greater good- which is all that reside in the city. Though, I do agree- the historical commission and society should definitely be consulted...

Anonymous said...

Remember the old post officet

Anonymous said...

The least the city should do would be to shut off ALL utilities and drain the water system .

That way , it can be left for storage and the only cost to the taxpayers would be the loss of tax revenue .

Anonymous said...

Ward should know what old means. He states this building has no historical value? Get real.

Anonymous said...

10:10

The city owns the buildin, there is no tax revenue.

Anonymous said...

Go ahead 10:33 AM, please enlighten us all on the rich historical value of this 75-year-old building. Do you envision a museum there?

This isn't the post office here, it's just an old, decrepit building with bad windows and no insulation, and you want us to throw $$$$ into it just cuz it's old??? Get real!

Anonymous said...

So was Lincoln's Log Cabin

Anonymous said...

BRISTOL IS IN TROUBLE WITH NO WAY OUT.

Anonymous said...

Sell it!

Anonymous said...

"So was Lincoln's Log Cabin"

...but Lincoln never lived in the old Chippens School building.

NOT mine said...

The city owns the buildin, there is no tax revenue.

September 30, 2009 11:24 AM
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NO revenue !!!!!!!! .... that is exactly the point .

The city has far toooooo many unused assets that could be generating revenue to relieve the burden on the taxpayers .

Anonymous said...

9:02

And how do we provide additional coverage for the area when the new school is built?

Anonymous said...

3:42: Coverage?

Anonymous said...

7:42
Fire Protection