Little Red School House Project Delayed or Scrapped?

Trustees break commitment to community.

A promised renovation of the Little Red School House won’t be happening anytime soon, according to Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library officials who dangled the restoration of the local landmark as a carrot in seeking voter approval for a $22.7 million capital spending program now mired in cost overruns and delays.

The now-uncertain fate of the iconic structure on Montauk Highway in Moriches, home of Colonial Youth and Family Services for 20 years before they were asked to leave during the construction of an adjacent library annex, has rankled local residents who supported the multi-million dollar borrowing plan believing the century-old school would be saved. The capital effort, also covering a rebuild of the community’s main library in Shirley and another new satellite branch in Mastic Beach, went down to defeat twice before sliding through on a slim majority in 2019.

“One of the many benefits of the passage of our proposed bond vote will be the preservation and restoration of the Little Red School House,” said library board President Joseph Maiorana when the administration was lobbying for the bond’s passage. “After numerous discussions with our community partners, including civic leaders, the library has committed a portion of our funding to be used to restore the Little Red School House,” he said. Library officials, including director Kerri Rosalia, confirmed at a recent meeting of the Greater Mastic Beach Chamber of Commerce, that the school house renovation is stalled due to a lack of funds. As previously reported in the South Shore Press, the main library renovation is running about $3 million over budget due to a number of factors, including inflation, COVID-related supply chain issues, and major structural deficiencies found when the renovation began.

“Really, all I can say is that our focus over the next 18 months or so is exclusively on making sure that we get the main library branch completed,” Maiorana said when reached for an update. The library trustees have committed to not going back to the voters for any additional borrowing and Maiorana said that they have not discussed a bond act for the school. The officials had anticipated that community organizations would assist in fund raising for the school house renovation, in addition to grants and other outside monies.

“I'm anxious to see that it's restored,” said Richard Oldham, 86, a Mastic Peninsula Historical Society member who attended the school from grades one through eight. “They'll have to get to it eventually; hopefully sooner than later. I don't think they can leave it the way it is in front of the brand-new building they put behind it.” Both Oldham and society President Edward De Gennaro said the organization’s main focus is the renovation of the nearby Hawkins House and wouldn’t be involved with the school house.

A supporter of the library bond act was Mastic Park Civic Association Board Member Ray Keenan who said his group was encouraged to approve the borrowing the third time around because of the promises to build the Moriches annex and renovate the red school house. “The vote squeaked by because the people at our end of the district supported it,” he said. “We were the main opponents that got it defeated when they wanted to build a new library at the golf course. So, they had to buy us off. Renovating the school house was part of the whole deal.”

According to residents who voted on the bond act, the library also had to buy off the supporters of Colonial Youth with the main selling point that they were going to earmark a million dollars for the restoration of the little school house. “This was the understanding with Colonial Youth and now they’re left in the cold,” one supporter said. The youth organization’s director, Linda Zach, reserved comment on the renovation delay, only to say that “No matter where we're located, Colonial will always do its best to provide the services needed by the community.” A life-long member of the area who went to nursery school at the red building, Zach has been involved with Colonial Youth for more than 30 years.

Keenen said he had participated in an inspection of the school house with library officials. “The building has been neglected and is in terrible condition,” Keenan said. “It’s a wreck. The floors are damaged and the structure is unsafe. It will require a complete rebuild far beyond the $1 million that was mentioned by the library when the bond vote was being considered.” He noted the existence of an old slate blackboard behind one of the walls which he said he would like to see restored. “A delay is acceptable under the circumstances, but the project should not be scrapped altogether.”

Complicating matters is the school’s historic status which will necessitate the involvement of the state Office of Historic Preservation in any renovation effort. Projects that fall under state auspices come with requirements that could add significantly to the costs. When the transfer of the school from the William Floyd School District was was being considered, school officials indicated that if the library does not take possession of the property, it would be taken down before it becomes a safety hazard.