Celebrating its Grand Opening on January 14, the historic Albion Academy is finding new life as modern housing for senior citizens and as a home for additional services for seniors and the general public. The rehabilitation and renovation of the former elementary school into new apartments has inspired creative solutions to the problems found in this aging and neglected building. Passero Associates is providing complete architectural and engineering design services.

Built in 1906, the Albion Academy originally served as a high school until a new one was built in the 1930s. The Academy then became the grammar school, serving kindergarten through sixth grades before being closed in the 1960s. It is located on East Academy Street, just south of the Erie Canal in the village of Albion, in the center of Orleans County in New York. The Academy was constructed using grey Medina sandstone, a distinctive material found in the area.

PathStone Corporation (formerly Rural Opportunities, Inc.) began planning in 2005 to reclaim the aging building and restore its status as an anchor in the village of Albion. PathStone determined that senior housing was to be the best primary use for the Academy, as this use would bring in the funding needed for its rehabilitation. During the planning process, the Orleans County Office for the Aging and the Arc of Orleans County also supported having space allocated in the Academy to serve their populations and local residents.

This balanced approach to planning, considering the needs of all parties involved, resulted in a unique concept in senior housing and services, the first of its kind in Albion. Thirty residential units have been created on the second, third and fourth floors, providing modern and safe housing. The first floor is home to facilities useful to both the building’s residents and to the local community.

Creating at least 30 rental units within an existing structure was required in order to receive adequate funding for the project. The building has many historic characteristics and the development team felt that preserving as much as possible would be very important to the project, the community, and all the funding sources utilized.  However, preserving historic characteristics can be very costly on a project with limited potential operational income. Therefore, the team needed to creatively preserve in a manner that allowed the project to remain feasible.

Amy Casciani, Real Estate Development Project Director for PathStone, says,“We’re trying to preserve the building as much as possible to keep some semblance of the school in the new housing and community space. The Academy has so many memories for everyone, and we are very fortunate to have this opportunity to restore and revitalize it. We have received many calls from potential residents, eager to apply. The school lends itself very nicely to housing, and the former classrooms are a perfect size for senior apartments.”

The four-story structure has several unique architectural details that are being preserved and utilized in the rehabilitation. Mira Mejibovsky, Senior Project Architect of Passero Associates, says, “It has been both a pleasure and a challenge to save the many historical elements of this building. We have found some creative design solutions which have resulted in an extraordinary project.”

The building was structurally sound, but due to some previous remodeling and general neglect, extensive renovation was required. The original building had separate entrances for boys and girls, and staircases on each side from the first to the second and third floors. One staircase has been removed. A previous owner of the building removed the first floor of the remaining staircase, but it was saved on the second and third floors. The stairways have been refurbished to the original condition. Reinforcements to support the remaining staircase from the first floor have been added.

The school had a large auditorium that was entered from the second floor. Theater type seating extended downward and intruded into an unused portion of the first floor. The second and third floor areas that were previously part of the auditorium have been modified to create more apartments, as has the partial fourth floor of the structure.

The grand main entrance features wood wainscoting and stamped tin ceilings, which have been preserved. Corinthian columns from the main entrance were relocated to the new community room. Some original moldings and elaborate wood trim found throughout the building have been restored or replicated.

The original classroom doors have been left in place as decorative elements for the hallways. The newly created apartments are carved out of what were previously classrooms, which were an ideal size for one-bedroom apartments, about 600 square feet each. The thick masonry walls of the original classrooms minimize sound traveling between apartments. The floors in each apartment have been carpeted. Two-bedroom apartments have been built in the former auditorium space.

The entire building has been made fully accessible, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The core area of the building houses a new elevator, laundry facilities and storage on the second and third floors. Additional storage is available in the basement, also reached by the elevator.

New high-quality insulated windows have been installed throughout the building, with wood moldings on the inside. Paint colors were chosen to match the original colors used. Decorative trim that had been damaged at the front of the Academy has been replicated and restored. The exterior masonry has been restored with new grey Medina sandstone. The roof was in a severe state of disrepair and has been rebuilt. New plumbing, electrical, heating and central air conditioning systems have been installed.

Half of the first floor is allocated to the Office for the Aging, which is creating a community dining area, nutritional program, senior exercise program, and a resource library for seniors and their caregivers. The Arc of Orleans County is utilizing the other half of the first floor for a senior day care center and office space.

The revitalization of Albion Academy, a blighted and nearly vacant building, has stabilized the surrounding neighborhood. A building with the magnitude and presence of the Albion Academy has a huge impact on the market value of all the surrounding properties. Furthermore, the revitalization of the Albion Academy attracts possible additional funding to improve the community as a whole.  One example of the this is the New York State Housing Trust Fund’s willingness to consider providing additional funding for the improvements of the public sidewalks around the perimeter of the project. The revitalization of the Albion Academy also allows other nonprofit agencies such as the Orleans County Office for the Aging and Orleans ARC to offer necessary services such as hot  meals, an exercise program and other support to seniors community-wide.

Ms. Casciani continues, “It’s been wonderful to have so much support from the town and village of Albion. Many of the future residents and clients and their children attended school at the Academy and are pleased to see it being rehabilitated and used productively. It’s a significant building in the village.” The Town of Albion has granted the building a 40-year real estate tax exemption.

Charlie Nesbitt, former New York State Assemblyman representing Albion and currently President of the NYS Division of Tax Appeals, brought PathStone and Ms. Casciani in as the project developer. Mr. Nesbitt obtained member item funding to make the concept a reality. He explains, “The renovation of the Albion Academy is all part of a larger plan to fill the need for local senior housing and to rehabilitate sections of the village. As part of this program, PathStone has purchased and renovated dilapidated village housing and offered it for sale to first-time homeowners. The Albion Academy is progressing very nicely and will have a wonderful impact on that neighborhood. The building was showing the signs of long neglect and the work they’re doing will save it.”

Construction began on the Academy in September of 2007 and was complete by the end of 2008. PathStone has partnered with Nathaniel General Contractors and Passero Associates to create design specifications that met the required budget. Nathaniel General Contractors is serving as general contractor, providing design-build and construction services. The total cost of the project is about $7 million, with funding coming from PathStone, NeighborWorks America, the New York State Division of Housing & Community Renewal in the form of loans, grants, rental assistance and low income tax credits, the National Equity Fund, M&T Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York through its member bank Maple City Bank, and construction financing provided by Greater Rochester Housing Partnership and Bank of America.

Bart Noto, Vice President of Nathaniel General Contractors, the General Contractor on the project, said, “What a truly exciting project to be able to transform a dilapidated 102-year-old building into a modern living facility for senior citizens. To be able to mesh both new and old elements into the same building is like walking through a modern museum showcasing elements of time gone by. All of the architectural elements from the old grey medina sandstone adorning the exterior façade of the building to the old stair balustrade system and panel wood doors will be refurbished to the original elegance they once displayed.”

Don Lieber, Vice President of Construction, says, “Of the many surprises presented by a 102-year-old building to be renovated, the team at Nathaniel General Contractors was most excited about the challenges that were found once the building was cleaned out. The environmental concerns were handled quickly and efficiently even though complicated issues arose. A concrete floor was discovered in the basement where a dirt floor was expected. Sagging stairways, skylights and a roof structure deteriorated from years of neglect were issues that were addressed and skillfully resolved with creative ideas coming from the workforce as well as the design team.”

Serious environmental issues with the building have been addressed, including asbestos and lead abatement. All workers on the project are required to complete thorough training on lead and other environmental hazards.

The restoration was coordinated with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to ensure that every effort was made to appropriately preserve the building, and the project designs received the approval of the agency.

To apply for housing in the Albion Academy, please contact Rosa Martinez at ROI, 585-546-6340, extension 310.  Residents are moving in now..

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