Coles School Future Uncertain

Dory July 13, 2012 at 05:36 pm

We desperately need a target or walmart. That would be a great location for one!!

GCPete July 13, 2012 at 06:50 pm

1. No sane business will move there. Glen Cove is a ghost town. I actually met someone from CDA or CityCouncil a few weeks ago who said that they were 'waiting' (an actual quote) for a Macy's or A&S to come to Glen Cove to draw other businesses. I too thought it odd that a decision maker in GC is waiting for a company that folded about 20 years ago to take us to the promised land. Glen Cove needs to come to grips with what it is, a nice little town on the water. Sadly we have illegal dumps, cement plants and possibly the only restaurants with water views that pretty much always sit empty.
2. Who wants to be that this building is given to yet another developer? 3. If there were any leaders here with vision, they'd consider giving the land to GC Boys and Girls Club and make that a real facility that is usable and adds some benefit to the kids who use it. Make this a community again and people will want to come here. 4. Am I the only one noticing how many for-sale signs are popping up all over the nicer parts of Glen Cove? Seems terrifying that young families who moved here would rather lose tens/hundreds of thousands of dollars than stay. Suozzi and the city council may have gotten themselves re-elected but I'd say that there's a general vote of no-confidence for any of these folks.

David July 13, 2012 at 07:31 pm

No Target, Macy's, Walmart or major company will come to Glen Cove. Glen Cove is at the end of a beaten path so to speak. It's not worth it for them.

Charles Brody July 13, 2012 at 07:38 pm

i think we could use another pharmacy chain or Pizza shop or nail salon. We certainly have a shortage of them.
C Brody

David July 13, 2012 at 08:22 pm

Or over sized apartments.

anar July 13, 2012 at 08:39 pm

You would think that an internet news source would attract intelligent individuals who would contribute in a positive light. It's a good thing the comment above me does that well.
On the other hand, it has been a school since its inception as a building, and has all of the tools to continue to be one. In order for the City of Glen Cove to make this building attractive to outsiders it would have to modify the property in order to be usable in other capacities. One role it would fill quite well, as has been previously posted, would be as a community center for the youth, or maybe even the mix of a community center and a park. There is ample green space in the back of the property and as was mentioned in the article Solomon Schecter went ahead and constructed a multi-purpose gymnasium. Additionally, there is a back entrance that opens up right into a residential neighborhood in Glen Cove, making it easy for the youth to access the building. Constructive posts help better the city we all claim to love, not facetious and sarcastic posts. Those just paint our city to be in a freefall and make its residents look even worse

Zefy Christopoulos July 13, 2012 at 09:53 pm

Let's take a look back so we can see where we are and where we should be going. Once the Coles School was declared as surplus, a developer proposed building a Grand Union Supermarket on the property. The residents of the neighborhood were joined by members of the Glen Cove community in steadfast opposition to this proposal. The next idea floated by another developer was to build housing on the property. This was also strong opposed by the residents of the neighborhood and quite a few of their neighbors. Two ideas briefly touched upon was to house a library on the property or for the property to be used as a learning center for autistic adults. Following each proposal, the emphasis by the neighbors and community residents was to SAFEGUARD OPEN SPACE in their area, ENSURE BIG RALPH PARK was maintained at all times, and to LOOK AT the deed of Coles School which many said--including the late Mayor, Vincent A. Suozzi---mandated the the Coles School building be used for educational purposes in perpetuity. SO.....using it as a space for businesses that can't open downtown is not a good idea....anyone remember Zausmer's Mall and the conditions there? I believe a multigenerational approach: Senior Center with all our Youth: is one to be explored diligently. There are so many advantages to this concept! The biggest is LEARNING for everyone of any age.

Zefy Christopoulos July 13, 2012 at 09:56 pm

This just occurred to me.....Did the City collect all the rent on the lease before Solomon Schechter left for Mineola?

Eileen Coles July 14, 2012 at 05:33 am

Well I certainly would look into getting office space in there for my business, if only for the amusement factor.
http://youtu.be/60VIzqRlVaI

Lynda July 14, 2012 at 11:56 am

No, Solomon was LET out of their lease early, I believe they still owed approx 100k.

John July 14, 2012 at 12:46 pm

What America and us need is an alternative to Academic Schools. We are forcing all our kids to go through the same programs perhaps at a different achievement level but nevertheless same old. Wouldn't it be grand if our children not inclined to study the fine arts to have an option say from 10th or 11th grade on to attend a "real" Professional Trade School at Coles? Of course if we cannot deviate from State or Federal mandates we could establish a minimum required curriculum at the High School and round out our young apprentices in the Trade School at Coles. What is left of our industries big or small are starving for trades men and women, yet we (parents and teachers) push everyone through our High School and too many of our "graduates" are unprepared to be happy and earn a descent salary in their comfort zone! Wanting the best for our children is natural and commendable but unachievable expectations may result in bitter disillusions. Glen Cove Coles Trade School gets my vote.

Eileen Coles July 14, 2012 at 10:35 pm

Let's work on that whole meritocracy thing first, shall we? That's not happening in this country right now. I am sure that the local fascists are hurting for people who want to be their low paid proles and obedient servants, which is why so many of them hire the same undocumented immigrants they rail against in public; and screamingly advocate the continued gutting of our education system, starting with teacher salaries.
Then there's the whole "crazy grading on a curve" thing Bloomberg does in the NYC schools to make sure as many kids get shoved onto the next grade as possible, which resulted in my stepdaughter - a two-year straight A student - getting a 65 on the NY State Math Regents. There's some seriously major "WTF" stuff going on right now that affects the academic meritocracy of our nation, so don't blame everything on the individual. The bigger picture contains a fair share of malice and stupidity, not all of it coming from visible or obvious directions. However, we both already know that, don't we, John? Even if the people who put that witty and trenchant aphorism above the front door of the Coles School might have had no problem with your opinion, I'm VERY sure they wouldn't have liked your spelling or grammar. "Who dares to teach should never cease to learn", indeed.

LT July 15, 2012 at 06:30 pm

Another Senior Center??? When did GC become a geriatric center? Talk about investing in a declIning population!!! Why not focus on rehabilitating the town and bring some positive changes. A new GCBGC is long overdue, as is an improved library. Half our residents go to LV's Boys Club and Library because their facilities are VASTLY superior. The benefits of being a "city" is that we are "supposed" to have better services, which is far from the case.