The DiMaria Administration recently hired a consulting firm to measure the efficacy and efficiency of combining many – six – public service and safety buildings, including city hall, into one.
The ideas was to see if one big complex – the former senior high school building on Broadway – could be made into one big city services building.
The Administration found out that such a consolidation is indeed possible.
But it would cost $60 million.
In addition, the buildings left vacant when the old high school was up and running, could be sold off but only for approximately $6.5 million.
Bonding such a product at the present time would be a disaster and might prove to be an impossible financial mountain to climb.
Which brings us back to the point – what to do with the empty former senior high school complex?
One idea is to tear it down and to make a public park out of the multi-acre space.
Another idea is to sell it.
But who will buy such a costly ark in need of everything under the sun and largely without parking?
The question remains – what should the city do with the former senior high school?