July 03, 2008 08:46 am
—
By JIM AUSTIN
Cooperstown Crier
The village will receive $100,000 in state
grant funds tohelp with the restoration of
the municipal building at 22 Main St.
The announcement was made Monday
morning by state Sen. James Seward, who
called the building ``a very, very important
structure in making Cooperstown the picturesque
village it is.’’
Seward said the grant was about property
tax relief for village residents.
``It’s about helping a local government
maintain its offices for the vital services it
provides to local taxpayers without hitting
the village taxpayers’ wallets,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s
also about preserving a beautiful building on
Main Street in America’s most perfect village.’’
The building was designed by noted architect
Ernest Flagg and built in 1899. According
to Village Historian Hugh MacDougall,
the building was donated to the village by
Robert Sterling Clark in 1932. It featured a
gymnasium and was at one time home to exhibits
that became the initial displays at the
Baseball Hall of Fame.
Today the building houses the village
clerk, treasurer, justice, police department,
watershed office, library and Cooperstown
Art Association.
According to village officials, the building
is in need of many repairs including the roof,
porch, interior and exterior restoration and
the modernization of electrical, plumbing
and heating systems.
Mayor Carol Waller, who described
Seward as ``our adopted village son,’’ said the
village has spent close to $400,000 on roof
and skylight work which is expected to total
as much as $700,000.
``No way could we allow this building to
crumble or fall into disrepair,’’ he said.
``We are thrilled and honored,’’ Waller
said of the announcement. ``We appreciate
Sen. Seward’s attention to our need to maintain
our village office as we seek to keep
Main Street vibrant and give our departments
and the library a safe, secure building.’’
Waller said there is a vision of the building
serving as a community gathering place
not just for the residents of Cooperstown but
also for neighboring towns who use village
services like the library.
Rebecca Weil, who chairs the Friends of
the Village Library, and Veronica Seaver,
who has spearheaded the 22 Main Street
restoration effort said the grant was ``very
exciting.’’
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
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