Voters to decide fate of Wantagh’s 117‑year‑old Beech Street School
The 117-year-old building belongs to the district and used to be leased to a day care business until the lease ended in 2024.
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The Wantagh School District is also asking voters to decide on the sale of a property that belongs to the district.
But some say the building is a part of Wantagh history.
The property is known as the Beech Street School, located at 1865 Beech St.
The 117-year-old building belongs to the district and used to be leased to a day care business until the lease ended in 2024.
A proposition on the ballot on Tuesday asks voters to decide if they can sell it for over $1 million, so they can use the money for capital projects.
"It's about 5,000 square feet. It doesn't really serve any purpose for us in the district currently. The building is in disrepair," says superintendent John McNamara.
District officials say a developer is already interested in building two single-family homes there.
"It kind of best serves the neighborhood, and saves the taxpayers of a significant amount of dollars as well," says McNamara.
"It's great property and it's a great town. It would be great to have two more families," says resident Chris Lucas.
But supporters are trying to save it.
"It should be saved. Just from the architectural significance the important of the architect who designed it and the way it fits into the educational history of Wantagh," says Wantagh Preservation Society Trustee Tom Watson.
"It's just sad to see it go because it is supposedly a historical building, and there's a lot of land here," says resident Dolores Persky.
The Wantagh Preservation Society says the school has a rich history and should be preserved as a landmark.
"The building has not really changed in 117 years. Of course, it's been painted and new siding like any building has to be kept up but the architectural significance can still be seen," says Watson.
If voters vote "no" on Proposition 3, the building will continue to sit vacant.
The polls close tonight at 9 p.m.
