SCHUMER PUSHES TO SECURE OVER $3 MILLION IN HOUSING & HISTORIC TAX CREDITS TO FINALLY REDEVELOP OLD HOLLEY HIGH SCHOOL IN ORLEANS COUNTY; SAVING & REDEVELOPING LONG ABANDONED BUILDING HAS BEEN SOUGHT FOR DECADES; FED INVESTMENT WOULD CREATE NEW 41 MIXED-INCOME APARTMENTS FOR SENIORS, NEW VILLAGE HALL OFFICE AND A FULLY RESTORED AUDITORIUM FOR PUBLIC EVENTS

Schumer Has Long Been Focused On Developing Plans To Help Revitalize Historic Buildings And Rejuvenate Neighborhoods In Upstate NY 

Creation Of New Building Will Spur Development And Help Create Jobs In Orleans County

Schumer: The Holley High School That Has Sat Vacant For Three Decades Will Finally See New Life With Fed Tax Credits

U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer today stood in front of the shuttered Holley High School and urged the National Parks Service and its state partner, the NYS Office of Historic Preservation, as well as the Treasury Department and its state partner, the NYS Office of Homes and Community Renewal, to allocate more than $3 million in historic preservation tax credits and $700,000 in housing tax credits to redevelop the old Holley High School. Schumer said a renovation of the old high school would create a new mixed-use building with 41 mixed-income apartments for people over 55, a new space for the Village Hall office, and a restored auditorium for public events.

“The old Holley High School has been sitting vacant for more than three decades, and it is high-time we breathe new life into this local and historic treasure. The Village already has a local developer ready to break ground on a project that would restore and revamp this building into mixed-income apartments, Village Hall offices and event space – but we need this critical federal investment to make it a reality,” said Senator Schumer. “That’s why I’m pushing to secure the this critical $3.7 million in federal investment needed to completely revitalize this building. Doing so would be a win for local residents, local businesses and the entire regional economy – and I’ll be fighting tooth and nail to get this done.”

Schumer explained that the Holley High School Building has long sat vacant in Orleans County and every year that passes it becomes more decrepit, and therefore harder to redevelop. Schumer explained that the historic Holley High School building, built in 1931, was closed in 1975 and its doors were shuttered. Following the school’s closure, the building was used for some commercial tenants. However, despite early efforts to repurpose the building for commercial use, most businesses did not call the old Holley High School home for long. As a result, the building has mostly sat vacant for the past 30 years.

Schumer said the old Holley High School is a historic building that many local officials and residents in the Village of Holley would like to see saved and put to new use. In 2013, the Landmark Society of Western New York took up the cause and listed the building as one of five local landmarks that need to be preserved as “Five to Revive.” This publicity helped grab the attention of local housing developer, Home Properties, LLC, which is now putting forth a plan to redevelop the high school into Holley Gardens.

The developer seeks to add desperately needed new senior housing to meet the community’s aging population needs, as well as provide a larger space to house Village offices and public meetings. Holley Gardens addresses a critical housing need for seniors, including those with disabilities, in Orleans County and the Village of Holley. Holley Gardens will target seniors age 55 and over with 7 units dedicated for seniors 55+ with physical disabilities. The project will provide an integrated opportunity for seniors to live independently. Approximately 78 percent of the units will be affordable to residents at or below 60 percent of area median income, and 22 percent will be market-rate. Schumer said these mixed-income apartments would also be complemented with a new space for the Village Hall office, and a restored auditorium for public events.

Schumer said Holley Gardens could breathe new life into the currently vacant building and restore this local treasure. The village has been looking to revitalize this building for years, but the cost of rehabilitation without supplemental financing has been prohibitive. That’s exactly why Schumer is pushing to secure more than $3.7 million in federal housing and historic tax credits to make this redevelopment project a reality. Ultimately, Schumer said that these housing and preservation tax credits would leverage more than $10.1 million in private investment as part of the overall $17 million redevelopment plan. The project is estimated to create 64 construction jobs during its 15-month construction period, plus an additional 2 full time jobs post-construction.

Specifically, Schumer is urging the National Park Service (NPS) and its partner agency, the NYS Office of Historic Preservation, to approve $3 million in federal Historic Tax Credits (HTC) that will enable Home Leasing, LLC to preserve and reuse the historic Holley High School. In addition, Schumer is urging the New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal to award $700,000 in federal Low Income Tax Credits (LIHTC) that New York State receives from the U.S. Treasury Department to help Home Leasing with this ambitious redevelopment project. Altogether, this $3.7 million would enable the construction of this vital redevelopment project in the heart of the Village of Holley by transforming the now-abandoned former Holley High School building into “Holley Gardens.”

Brian J. Sorochty, Mayor Village of Holley said, “The Village is extremely excited and encouraged by the progress that has been made on this very important and historic project located in the Village of Holley. None of it would be possible without the staunch support of Senator Schumer, which we are extremely grateful for. It has been a pleasure to work with this team and to witness the hard work and cooperation of our local, county and state officials working together with Home Leasing and Edgemere Development to make this project a reality. Sincere thanks to Senator Schumer and all that are involved in this project!”

Nelson Leenhouts, Chairman & CEO of Home Leasing said, “We are grateful for Senator Schumer’s unwavering support of the housing and historic tax credits necessary to save community landmarks like the Holley High School, named as one of the Landmark Society’s Five to Revive.  Redevelopment of this community landmark will provide a significant economic boost to the community and provide 41 new, affordable apartments to area seniors who can age in place near their friends, families and houses of worship.”

Wayne Goodman, Executive Director, Landmark Society of Western New York said, “Listed on The Landmark Society’s inaugural Five to Revive list, Holley High School has been a priority project for our organization for many years. The progress that Nelson Leenhouts, Chairman and CEO of Home Leasing, has made in returning this historic property to a place of significance in Holley and Orleans County is outstanding. The support of Senator Schumer for historic preservation and the historic tax credit has made the feasibility of success for projects such as Holley High School more likely than ever before. We thank the Senator for his continued advocacy and understanding of the economic benefits of historic preservation.”

A copy of Schumer’s letter to the NYS Office of Homes and Community Renewal, appears below:

James S. Rubin

Commissioner and CEO, NYS Homes and Community Renewal

Dear Commissioner Rubin:

I am pleased to write in support of an application being submitted by Home Leasing LLC for federal housing tax credits made available by the U.S. Treasury Department and allocated through New York State Homes and Community Renewal (NYSHCR).  These tax credits will enable the construction of a vital redevelopment project in the heart of the Village of Holley, New York by transforming the now-abandoned former Holley High School building into “Holley Gardens” which will include 41 mixed-income senior apartments, new space for the Village of Holley offices, and a restored auditorium for public events and meetings.  This project addresses several of the community’s most pressing challenges by breathing new life into a large now-vacant building, adding critically needed new senior housing to meet the community’s aging population needs, and providing a larger space to house Village offices and public meetings.

The historic Holley High School building, built in 1931 in the neo-classical revival style, was closed in 1975, and despite early efforts to repurpose the building for other commercial uses, this treasured structure has largely sat vacant and has been deteriorating for the past thirty years.  As such, the redevelopment and restoration of this beloved building has long been a key priority for local officials and the community and is listed as one of 16 key actions called for in the Village’s Comprehensive Plan. In 2013 the Landmark Society of Western New York joined the call for revitalizing this structure when it listed it as one of five local landmarks that need to be preserved because of its architectural merit, its historic place as the center of civic life in Holley, and for its potential.  That recognition garnered the attention of Home Leasing and their development team, which is now pursuing this plan to redevelop the former high school into Holley Gardens. 

Holley Gardens addresses a critical housing need for seniors, including those with disabilities, in Orleans County and the Village of Holley.  Holley Gardens will target seniors age 55 and over with 7 units dedicated for seniors 55+ with physical disabilities. The project will provide an integrated opportunity for seniors to live independently. 78% of the units will be affordable to residents at or below 60% of AMI; 22% will be market-rate. The market study’s capture rate identifies a strong need for these apartments.

Finally, these housing credits will leverage $7,109,682 in private investment as part of the overall $17 million redevelopment plan. The project will create an estimated 64 construction jobs during its 15-month construction period, plus an additional 2 full time jobs post-construction. Additional anticipated funding sources include a combination of public and private resources including state and federal historic redevelopment tax credits (HTF), CIF funds, investor tax credit equity, and a construction period loan.  

Home Leasing and the development team for Holley Gardens, including Edgemere Development, Glasow Simmons Architecture and Home Leasing Services, has a strong track record of developing affordable and mixed-income housing in New York State.  The team is experienced in adaptive reuse as well as historic preservation and most recently partnered to complete Eastman Gardens, which entailed the historic rehabilitation of Rochester’s Eastman Dental Dispensary. Eastman Gardens has been recognized by the New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) with the 2016 New York State Historic Preservation Award.  Holley Gardens advances the goals and objectives of the Village of Holley's Comprehensive Plan and the Fingerlakes Regional Economic Development Council’s 2011 Strategic Plan, which includes historic preservation in the regional strategy to “Invest in Community and Industrial Development and Infrastructure” with one of the goals being to “reinforce the identity, sense of place, and character of the area through downtown redevelopment, adaptive reuse of existing buildings and infrastructure, and historic preservation.” 

The project is widely supported by local Village, Town, and County officials, including the Orleans County EDA. I applaud Home Leasing LLC and its partners for their foresight, and sincerely hope the application meets with your approval.  Thank you for your consideration.  For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact my staff.

Sincerely,

Senator Charles Schumer

A copy of Schumer’s letter to the National Parks Service and its state partner, the NYS Office of Historic Preservation, appears below:

Jonathan B. Jarvis

Director, National Park Service

Rose Harvey

Commissioner, New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation

 

Dear Director Jarvis and Commissioner Harvey,

I am pleased to write in support of a proposal for Federal Historic Tax Credits (HTC) by Home Leasing LLC to enable the preservation and reuse of the historic Holley High School building in the Village of Holley, New York.  Specifically these tax credits will enable the construction of a vital redevelopment project in the heart of the Village by transforming the now-abandoned former Holley High School building into “Holley Gardens,” which will include 41 mixed-income senior apartments, new space for the Village of Holley offices, and a restored auditorium for public events and meetings.  This project addresses several of the community’s most pressing challenges by breathing new life into a large and now-vacant historic building, adding critically needed new senior housing to meet the community’s aging population needs, and providing a larger space to house Village offices and public meetings.

The historic Holley High School building, built in 1931 in the neo-classical revival style, was closed in 1975, and despite early efforts to repurpose the building for other commercial uses, this treasured structure has largely sat vacant and has been deteriorating for the past thirty years.  As such, the redevelopment and restoration of this beloved building has long been a key priority for local officials and the community and is listed as one of 16 key actions called for in the Village’s Comprehensive Plan.  In 2013 the Landmark Society of Western New York joined the call for revitalizing this structure when it listed it as one of five local landmarks that need to be preserved because of its architectural merit, its historic place as the center of civic life in Holley, and for its potential.  That recognition garnered the attention of Home Leasing and their development team, which is now pursuing this plan to redevelop the former high school into Holley Gardens. 

Holley Gardens addresses a critical housing need for seniors, including those with disabilities, in Orleans County and the Village of Holley.  Holley Gardens will target seniors age 55 and over with 7 units dedicated for seniors 55+ with physical disabilities. The project will provide an integrated opportunity for seniors to live independently.  78% of the units will be affordable to residents at or below 60% of AMI; 22% will be market-rate. The market study’s capture rate identifies a strong need for these apartments.

Finally, these housing credits will leverage over $3 million in private investment as part of the overall $17 million redevelopment plan.  The project will create an estimated 64 construction jobs during its 15-month construction period plus an additional 2 full time jobs post-construction.  Additional anticipated funding sources include a combination of public and private resources including state and federal Historic redevelopment tax credits (HTF), CIF funds, investor tax credit equity, and a construction period loan.  

Home Leasing and the development team for Holley Gardens, including Edgemere Development, Glasow Simmons Architecture and Home Leasing Services, has a strong track record of developing affordable and mixed-income housing in New York State.  The team is experienced in adaptive reuse as well as historic preservation and most recently partnered to complete Eastman Gardens, which entailed the historic rehabilitation of Rochester’s Eastman Dental Dispensary. Eastman Gardens has been recognized by the New York State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) with the 2016 New York State Historic Preservation Award. Holley Gardens advances the goals and objectives of the Village of Holley's Comprehensive Plan and the Fingerlakes Regional Economic Development Council’s 2011 Strategic Plan, which includes historic preservation in the regional strategy to “Invest in Community and Industrial Development and Infrastructure,” with one of the goals being to “reinforce the identity, sense of place, and character of the area through downtown redevelopment, adaptive reuse of existing buildings and infrastructure, and historic preservation.” 

The project is widely supported by local Village, Town, and County officials, including the Orleans County EDA. I applaud Home Leasing LLC and its partners for their foresight, and sincerely hope the project meets with your approval.  Thank you for your consideration.  For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact my staff.

Sincerely,

Senator Charles Schumer

 

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