Posted by By Georgia Schultz, Editor in Chief
Labeled one of the busiest intersections in New Paltz by many locals, the crossing of Main Street and South Mannheim Boulevard is home to a host of businesses and restaurants, as well as our very own Middle School. Flooded with traffic from both cars and released students, the small corner of town is a busy and lively place; however, it is constantly overshadowed by the abandoned administration office in the center of it all.
The dilapidated blue building on the outskirts of the Middle School parking lot has caused a series of debates regarding its use. After being abandoned around 15 years ago by the district, it has sat empty, an eyesore amidst the natural beauty and color of New Paltz.
Debate over what to do with the space sparked, with some pushing for a roundabout at the intersection or maybe transforming the building into an after-school program or outdoor learning center. But at the end of the day, even finding a buyer wasn’t worth it; the office was too damaged and costly to save. Finally, in a 5-1 vote, a decision by the Board of Education was made to demolish the building once and for all, saving the decision of what to do with the land for another day.Â
Flyers were hung around town and posted online, promoting a contest that encouraged locals to share possible designs or ideas for the space. Superintendent Steven Gratto even opened the floor to high school students, visiting Mr. Dolan’s public speaking class to share more information like budgets and what exactly the board was looking for. Proposals are meant to represent as well as promote beauty and history while being environmentally friendly.
“We need to have a plan when the building is gone,” said Superintendent Gratto to the Hudson Valley One. “And we felt there were a lot of really smart people in the school district and the community who could give us some great ideas.”
Within the high school, students were hard at work trying to make their ideas a reality. Each class, students met with their small groups to brainstorm and transform the ugly mess on the corner of Main Street into something that reflects the beauty and history of our town. Dolan emphasized imagination with this project, teaching that within every failed sketch or scrapped idea, an even better design, born of collaboration, could arise.
“It’s good on a lot of levels,” says Dolan. “Ultimately, in my mind, the goal is people become better listeners and form better relationships with people in their lives.”
By working together to create something lasting and special, students learn teamwork and how to critique others without criticizing. The classroom was never still, with pens constantly scratching away or keyboards feverishly mapping out possible designs. It was a birthplace of ingenuity.
“Mr. Dolan is doing a great job of making this into a teachable moment where his students are required to give it serious thought and come together with a proposal,” commends Gratto. “I’m sure I’ll at least get some great ideas from them.”
As the January 1 deadline approached, sketches flooded Mr. Dolan’s inbox, some even done on professional editing websites to give the product the formal presentations that’s necessary when the final result could be seen for years to come.
“I think this is huge,” Dolan comments. “ We have seen this with student projects in the past…the impact is really great. I know the students have always been proud, and have been able to take that work with them.”
Each student will be leaving public speaking class with the knowledge that they contributed to making our town a better, brighter place. It wasn’t just a silly class project, not just a grade on PowerSchool to adjust their GPA, but rather a genuine legacy to leave behind. While it may take time to fully come to a decision of what to do with the space, opening up the transformation of an ugly lot to the community brings everyone together, truly providing the opportunity for creativity and innovation.
“All that said and done, it’s really about building relationships and better communication.” Dolan says. “The community benefits from it. And that’s a special thing. It’s authentic; it’s real.”
The Maroon 