Firehouse preservation in Peekskill causing controversy

[INIT915 1,119]

Just about everyone in Peekskill wants the old Centennial Firehouse saved from the wrecking ball.

But where to put the old building after it is taken out of the way of a highway-widening project is dividing city leaders, preservationists and the former mayor. A concept to move the building temporarily to a parcel of city land near the Peekskill train station, or to a leased parcel nearby, is drawing fire.

http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID...EWS02/805040393

[eike1701 1]

I sure hope they can save it . We need to preserve are history as much as we can

[MoFire390 118]

As a resident of Peekskill I hope they move it next to the old train station next to Dains lumber yard.

[Raz 14]

I, for one, don't want to see it saved. It's a waste. The building is a dilapidated shell, and it hasn't even had a roof since as far back as I can remember. With all of the financial problems that the city will have to face in the coming recession, spending more than a million dollars on a project like this is sickening. Shame on the people saying that it's direspectful to the two firefighters that lost their lives in 1918. The city has built a memorial at the site of their death, and is planning on building another memorial in the future. Their pictures hang in the new Centennial firehouse on Washington Street. We don't need to save yet another building (and I use that word loosely) to honor them.

[PFD165 1]

Well, I must say I tend to agree with Raz. When Centennials moved to their new location back 28 years ago, THAT was the time to worry about saving the building. Since then not a single thing has been done to preserve the building, not by the City of Peekskill when they owned it and not by the private owners that have owned it. If the road work was not taking place I would venture to say no one would be talking about saving the building.

I would be all in favor of saving the building if it was in better shape, but I agree to spend the money that will be required to repair and restore that building is simply a waste of good money that could be spent on better projects. The question is 'IF" the building is used as a museum will it be under the control of the FD or will it be run by a not for profit, like the Lincoln Society? If the FD does run it will the necessary funds be taken from the annual operating budget of the FD? and will the museum if run by the FD be able to generate enough funds to sustain itself? how many days will it be open and who will care for it? There are just too many questions that are unanswered, let the building go, take the Centennial *4 from above the bay door and save that for use at the current Centennials or even incorporate it into a "new" building that could be built to resemble the old.

There are "Historic" buildings and there are "Old" buildings, Centennials is an "Old" building

[DonMoose 3]

I, for one, don't want to see it saved. It's a waste. The building is a dilapidated shell, and it hasn't even had a roof since as far back as I can remember. With all of the financial problems that the city will have to face in the coming recession, spending more than a million dollars on a project like this is sickening. Shame on the people saying that it's direspectful to the two firefighters that lost their lives in 1918. The city has built a memorial at the site of their death, and is planning on building another memorial in the future. Their pictures hang in the new Centennial firehouse on Washington Street. We don't need to save yet another building (and I use that word loosely) to honor them.

Well, I must say I tend to agree with Raz. When Centennials moved to their new location back 28 years ago, THAT was the time to worry about saving the building. Since then not a single thing has been done to preserve the building, not by the City of Peekskill when they owned it and not by the private owners that have owned it. If the road work was not taking place I would venture to say no one would be talking about saving the building.

I would be all in favor of saving the building if it was in better shape, but I agree to spend the money that will be required to repair and restore that building is simply a waste of good money that could be spent on better projects. The question is 'IF" the building is used as a museum will it be under the control of the FD or will it be run by a not for profit, like the Lincoln Society? If the FD does run it will the necessary funds be taken from the annual operating budget of the FD? and will the museum if run by the FD be able to generate enough funds to sustain itself? how many days will it be open and who will care for it? There are just too many questions that are unanswered, let the building go, take the Centennial *4 from above the bay door and save that for use at the current Centennials or even incorporate it into a "new" building that could be built to resemble the old.

There are "Historic" buildings and there are "Old" buildings, Centennials is an "Old" building

I agree with both. I'd like to see that money go towards a new firehouse or new equipment I get the fact that it's a historic building, but it has no real meaning for me (and I'm sure a lot of the younger guys agree). Sure, it would be nice to save it if it was do-able for a REASONABLE amount of money, but spending millions on a shell...doesn't make much sense to me.

[johnb131 0]

the cost factor of saving the building doesn't make sense the building should be brought down with the bricks salvaged and incorporated somewher into the new firehouse design.

Edited May 5, 2008 by johnb131

[Raz 14]

I thought I'd be on my own, but I'm glad to see a few people on here who agree with me. That brings me to my next point, everyone spouting off about how "tearing the building down is dishonoring the memory of the dead and disresectful to firefighters" isn't a firefighter themselves. The historical society? Not a single firefighter among them. The President of Centennial Hose, Pat Esposito? Not a firefighter. The guy who made

? Not a firefighter. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm sick of seeing my profession's name and sense of honor invoked to support a political cause that I think is a waste. If my union rep wants to throw my name around, fine. If some nutjob with a hardon for old buildings wants to speak for me, without asking, I take offense.

Oh and if (heaven forbid) I die in a fire, whatever you do...don't tell my story using scenes from Backdraft set to a sh*tty Mariah Carey song.

[Oswegowind 17]

I also think that moving the "structure" at such a cost is a very poorly thought out idea. Unless someone is taking out of their own pocket. Yes it is a piece of our history, but it serves no purpose and hasn't for some time. The building floods everytime it rains hard, and is basically in shambles. Pictures of it serve it enough respect and can help those younger than us understand what it was. And pictures of it, there are many...including in my own private collection, that may be supplied free of charge to Centennial as other pictures in the past have. However, don't waste other taxpayers' monies or look for a handout from Entergy for some bogus idea such as this, there are better ways to spend a million bucks...if you are handing it out, I'll take a million myself, at least it will get used properly!