After years of uncertainty, an elementary school on Binghamton’s North Side will finally be able to request state funding to pay for a $52 million asbestos removal and renovation project.
Two years ago, the Binghamton City School District considered closing Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School, in part because of the costly and extensive asbestos removal the school needs.
But a provision in this year’s newly passed state budget will allow Roosevelt Elementary to apply for 10 years worth of funding to make the necessary repairs.
“If we didn't have the funding, we'd be looking at a 20- to 25-year timeline for innovation,” Binghamton City School District Superintendent Tonia Thompson said. “And part of the reason for that is the cost of asbestos removal. Asbestos, in the 1970s, was a commonly used substance for insulation. It's behind the walls to insulate the building. That has to be removed as part of the process.”
Thompson said now that state funding is available, officials are hoping the project will only take four or five years. She said construction should be able to begin in about a year, and that the district would prioritize keeping students and faculty on campus as much as possibly while the project is underway.
In December, Gov. Kathy Hochul vetoed legislation passed by state Sen. Lea Webb and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, all of whom are Democrats, that would have allowed the school to request more state aid to pay for the repairs.
“It's not just simply an investment in the infrastructure for the school. It's really a testament to the investment that we need to continue to make in schools such as Roosevelt and others that anchor our communities across this great state,” Webb said.
“This type of procedure is usually restricted to large city school districts. They had a compelling case, we made it together, that this school really deserved extra attention, and allowed us to change the law to get this done for Roosevelt school,” Lupardo said.
Before the project can begin, the funding request needs to be voted on by residents of the school district.
Michael Cooper Sr. is a former Roosevelt student, whose children also attended the elementary school. He said the school is a source of community and support for kids and parents on Binghamton’s North Side. The area is considered a food, health care and child care desert. The school offers health care and a food pantry for families.
“This elementary school is the only elementary school we have here on the North Side,” Cooper said. “So without their school, our children don't have a school to go to. And the school provides more than just education here.”