Recorder News Staff
For the city's Common Council, the Historic Amsterdam League's proposal to fund a structure report of City Hall just made cents.
Amsterdam lawmakers passed a resolution Tuesday night to sign a contract with Landmark Consulting LLC of Albany to complete a Historic Structure Report (HSR) on City Hall, in a move that all but ends the discussion of possibly moving the municipal hub from the historic Sanford mansion on Church Street.
Half of the money needed was raised by grants, donations and in-kind service credits by the city historian, HAL, along with funds raised by city residents nearly two decades ago for historic preservation purposes.
Additionally, the city's portion of the bill can be recouped from savings in City Hall energy costs.
Amsterdam Historian Robert von Hasseln personally thanked 1st Ward Alderman Joseph Isabel for sponsoring the resolution to transfer the necessary funds to cover the $31,300 study that will enable the city to apply for 50/50 matching state grants for all future improvements and maintenance of City Hall.
"The headline should read 'City saves City Hall,' because that is exactly what happened here tonight," von Hasseln said after the meeting. "It's a win-win situation all around ... Thank you for sponsoring this and for your leadership over this past year, Alderman Isabel."
Isabel, who originally formed a committee to relocate City Hall out of concern with the costs of maintaining the building but disbanded it last February, said he was just happy to see an economical solution.
"About a year ago we were looking at to do with this piece of property," Isabel said. "A lot of people have expressed to me that they want to see the building stay, and it looks like they will get their wish."
In order to get the matching state grants for future repairs, von Hasseln said two things were needed. The building had to be placed on the historic registry, which it is, and the HSR needed to be completed.
"That's what this contract does," he told the aldermen prior to their vote on the resolutions. "Out of the total cost of $34,800, we raised almost half of it outside the budget."
Von Hasseln said renting or constructing a new city hall is not cost-effective and that the numbers speak for themselves in terms of maintaining the former Sanford mansion.
"It's actually cheaper," he said. "It just makes good financial sense to continue here."
The HSR will provide a detailed "roadmap" to making the needed improvements and repairs at City Hall and continue making the building more energy efficient, which in turns will continue saving Amsterdam money.
A detailed report handed out by von Hasseln shows the structure is in "remarkably good overall shape, better than much more modern buildings," and to construct a new City Hall as solidly today "would cost in excess of $20 million."
Furthermore, his report stated the HSR "would rapidly pay for itself in repair savings and grants, and continue to effect cost reductions indefinitely."
HAL Vice President Jerry Snyder hailed the resolution's passage as a victory for both city residents and historical preservationist alike.
"I'm thrilled," he said. "This is what we've been working towards, this why we did the calendars and all the fundraising ... this building is Amsterdam, there's no question about it."
Playing off Amsterdam's "small city, big heart" catchphrase, Snyder said the Stanford mansion is the heart of Amsterdam.
"Excuse the pun, but with this historical report we have the foundation to build upon for years to come," he concluded.
Second Ward Alderwoman Valerie Beekman initially voted against the first resolution to transfer funds because she said she was still going over the financial figures when the roll call was called, but then voted "yes" to sign the contract that was subsequently passed unanimously.
Fourth Ward Alderman Dave Dybas, who had up to this point voted against any resolution asking for money, joked with von Hasseln before affirming the contract.
"I'm going to do something historic myself here tonight," he said. "Rob, that was probably one of the better presentations that I've seen here and I'm going to vote 'yes.'"
Mayor Ann Thane said she, too, was pleased.
"This is just truly wonderful," she said.
Contact JARRETT CARROLL at