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Bainbridge Development Corporation Community Update: Provided by Toni Lozzi, Project Coordinator
While the BDC has had their hands tied with development on the property due to contamination, we have begun to turn our focus to the Tome School grounds and doing all we can to preserve and protect the history and beauty of the campus. Over the past few years, severe weather and vandalism have rapidly progressed the deterioration of the granite structures. Keeping the buildings protected has proven to be a very difficult and costly feat to manage. Executive Directory, Donna Tapley, and Project Coordinator, Toni Lozzi, have been working over the past few months on trying to secure funding for Tome School projects through grant dollars and private funds. The immediate goals for Tome School are:
To conduct a conditions assessment to fully understand the current state of the campus property.
To conduct an opportunities and constraints analysis for the redevelopment of the Tome School Campus. This will identify and evaluate the physical constraints and limitations (water, sewer, accessibility, size of buildings, etc.), environmental constraints and impacts from contaminations, the economic opportunities for the reuse of the buildings and to determine a conceptual strategic path forward.
Close all holes in the roofs of the granite structures, securing the buildings to prevent further water damage to the interior of the buildings.
The Bainbridge property has remained closed to the public for some time because of the environmental status, but the BDC has begun to invite community members to be a part of restoring the Tome School Campus. The campus has been in dire need of some hands-on care, and we are very excited to have such positive support from numerous community members. In April, we participated in the River Sweep Clean-up, and with the help of 62 wonderful volunteers we were able to tackle years of overgrown brush, invasive vegetation and various fallen tree limbs, slowly exposing the once majestic nature of the Olmstead designed Italian Gardens. Because the day was so successful, we have planned a monthly Saturday clean-up, inviting all community members to participate. In the coming months, we have planned 4 more clean-up days (the last Saturday of each month), a tour of the property in conjunction with the Bainbridge Museum and hopefully a summer’s end community festival to celebrate the hard work and support the community has given back!