Nothing fires up emotions in the Village of Garden City than to bring up the St. Paul’s situation. Should this imposing and impressive building be preserved and restored or should it have the same appointment with the wrecking ball that sister school St. Mary’s had in 2002? The Committee to Save St. Paul and the Garden City Historical Society put forth an $8.2 million proposal centered on preserving the first floor and chapel of the school while shuttering the remainder of the building for full restoration at a later date. A recent report commissioned to architectural engineering firm Erwin & Bielinski by the village analyzed this proposal and advised rejecting it for a number of reasons. Make no mistake; this won’t be the final word by the pro-preservationist side. And whatever the end result is will forever alter the face of the Village of Garden City— for better or worse.
– Dave Gil de Rubio
