School's new lease on life a welcome development

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February 1, 2012

Anonymous Daily Star The Daily Star Wed Feb 01, 2012, 02:25 AM EST

It is a big place designed to echo with the sounds of young people in a healthy learning environment.

We are very glad that what was the St. Mary's School building will continue to be a happy place for young people.

Springbrook, a nonprofit agency serving people with disabilities, announced Monday that it will pay $2.4 million for the 55,550-square-foot St. Mary's property. The school closed last year because of declining enrollment.

In an editorial on April 13, we opined that it was a shame that the 87-year-old school would have to close after being so important to our community for such a long time.

But in that editorial we quoted St. Mary's School Board member Jo-Ann LaMonica, who had been one of primary advocates for building the facility. LaMonica exhibited an admirable faith that all would turn out well.

"Everything happens for a reason," she said back then, "and as devastated and heartbroken as I am over this, there has to be a reason."

Apparently, there was, and not a bad reason at that.

The purchase will allow Springbrook's Kids Unlimited Preschool to be opened to the community, Chief Executive Officer Patricia Kennedy said. It will also allow additional adult programs at the site, as well as operations such as evaluation and training of 980 staff members.

LaMonica, who with her husband, Diz, donated the funds for the school chapel, said Monday she was pleased that "the faith, love and hope that went into it would continue."

"We are more than happy to see that St. Mary's School will continue to be used for educational purposes, and quite pleased to know that Springbrook's plans for the building will also provide an important and much-needed economic boost to the community," said Kenneth Goldfarb, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.

Those plans include Springbrook taking the title in mid-February to March. The space will be used to centralize many of the agency's operations and community functions from other locations, Kennedy said. It will start about a month after closing by moving the information technology department and continuing through to the preschool program in July.

The new facility doesn't threaten Springbrook's headquarters near Portlandville, which will remain open and host the organization's recently expanded K-12 residential school program.

While we still believe it was unfortunate that the St. Mary's School had to close, we would have a very hard time thinking of a more-fitting use for the impressive building than to be a place where children can play and learn.

"I am so excited about it," Kennedy said. "It will be a tremendous opportunity."

It will, indeed.