Response to New York State Empire State

Development’s Request for Expressions of

Interest of the former Beacon Correctional
Facility

By: Beacon City School District

10 Education Dr
Beacon, NY 12508

Date: September 9, 2017

On July 7, 2017, the New York State Empire State Development (ESD) posted a Request for
Expression of Interest (RFEI) on the redevelopment of the Beacon Correctional Facility located
at 50 Camp Beacon Road, Beacon, NY 12508 (Site). The Beacon City School District is a
neighbor to this Site with our high school that is directly adjacent. We would like to engage in a
mutually beneficial use of this Site to create new jobs and stimulate the local economy through
the education and integration of the local community. The property’s proximity to our high
school makes our interest unique.

About us
Beacon is one of 57 small city school districts in New York State. Located 65 miles north of New
York City along the easterly banks of the Hudson River, the Beacon City School District covers
the City of Beacon and portions of the Town of Fishkill and the Town of Wappinger. The District
is composed of four elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, an administration
building as well as a transportation facility. It has a student enrollment of 2,900 students. Our
Board goals includes fiscal, curriculum, communication, community engagement, and diversity
elements. As a primary and secondary school institution, we have a responsibility to instill a
foundation into our next generation of New Yorkers for their growth into colleges/trades,
workforce, and social responsibilities.

Framing the question

It is important to recognize that there is a relationship between stimulating the local economy
and ensuring our students are equipped to fill the occupations of tomorrow in the Hudson
Valley. A query on the NYS Department of Labor’s “Jobs in Demand Today” website 1 for the
Hudson Valley provides a list of post-college and trade occupations that has a reasonable
expectation of obtaining employment in the region to a qualified jobseeker. This list includes
“Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics” and “Telecommunications Line Installers and
Repairers” as well as some healthcare-based occupations. Looking at the 2014-2024 Long Term
Occupational Projections for the “Hudson Valley” 2, “Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers” are at
the top of the list for positive percent change. Other trade-based or postsecondary non-degree
occupations that should be noted that are projected to be a high positive percent change are:
● Stonemasons;
● Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics;
● Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters;
● Electricians;
● Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers; and
● Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic.

1
https://labor.ny.gov/stats/lsproj.shtm accessed 9/9/2017
2
https://labor.ny.gov/stats/2014-2024-Statewide-and-Regional-Long-Term-Industry-Projections.xls accessed
7/24/2017
On this same list, again health-based post-College occupations are projected to be a high
positive percent change for the Hudson Valley, and these others should be noted:
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, including:
● Web Developers;
● Computer Systems Analysts; and
● Environmental Engineers.

What we have on the site so far

The Site has a “campus-like” feel and setting with a history of some agriculture use. The Site
also contains environmentally sensitive areas such as wetlands that would prevent full build-
out of the Site, 3 but according to Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments no
environmental remediation is recommended 4. There are 21 buildings that would be
transferred and no facility-wide asbestos or lead-based paint surveys have been conducted.
Age of the buildings range from the early 1900s to the late 1990s and are in various conditions.
Not all 21 buildings can be reoccupied within a short period of time and the work to reoccupy
them varies greatly from minimal work to extensive repair and asbestos/lead-based paint
abatement. An investment into the Site’s infrastructure is also required, such as: separate
utilities; drinking water; and repair and rehabilitation of stormwater runoff control.

Thinking outside the box

We feel this Site has a mutually beneficial potential to our community and our children. Our
interest in this Site is a venture outside traditional thinking. We feel that if our children are
better prepared, then the next generation of New Yorkers will succeed and stimulate economic
growth locally and statewide.

Agriculture
Locally, we have a growing agricultural community through composting projects and
common farm projects. We have been implementing a farm-to-school program for a
couple of years now with a partnership with Common Ground. Our program not only
has a healthy food supply component but also a curriculum component for our children.
A potential expansion of agricultural activities on the Site can expand the program to
benefit and teach about Food Security and Sustainability. For example, reducing
landfills by transforming suitable food waste into compost and biogas leads to soil
enhancement, and teaches the importance of soils for food security and nutrition.

Science
While some developers would see wetlands as a burden to be undertaken through the
State Environmental Quality Review (SEQR) process and pre-application wetland

3
http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6277.html
4
Appendices E & F to the RFEI.
 permits, we see a classroom. Natural wetland habitat in such close proximity to our
school would enable our children to observe what they are learning. We see the
outdoor classroom and potentially establishing outdoor laboratories as a venue to
adding environmental science to our curriculum. We would also look to establish
Science curriculum partnerships to enhance the education of our children in these fields
of study.

Trades
Preparation of our children for post-secondary education success doesn’t always mean
college. As highlighted earlier in this submission, trades are also either in high demand
now or expected to be in high demand 5. We have already been looking into bringing
back our industrial arts curriculum in a way that is relevant to our current market. The
warehouse space available at the Site opens up the potential for partnerships with
apprentice programs and non-degree certification programs. The success of a student
to complete such programs can be dependent on their exposure and improving aptitude
in such careers early in their educational experience. In other words, “Restoring the
balance between academic and vocational programs is not just about job creation: it’s
about raising standards of achievement overall.” – Ken Robinson, “Why Schools Need to
Bring Back Shop Class”, Time Magazine, May 8, 2015 6

Technology
The Beacon City School District is recently enrolled in Microsoft’s TEALS (Technology
Education and Literacy in Schools) program. This program helps high schools
throughout the US build and grow sustainable computer science programs. We believe
we are the first high school in the Hudson Valley to enroll in this program 7. We also
proudly add that one of our elementary schools also completed the FIRST LEGO League
challenge last year 8. In continuing our support for education in technology, we are
interested in the Site as a space to create a makerspace environment 9 and foster a
community of inventors.

Yes, it’s about Jobs

Attracting businesses to New York isn’t only about providing tax incentives. The availability of a
skilled workforce is also a big factor 10. As an educational institution, we want to provide the
foundation for the next generation of skilled workers. The Site provides space for an

5
Also see http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/decades-pushing-bachelors-degrees-u-s-needs-tradespeople/
6
Ken Robinson, “Why Schools Need to Bring Back Shop Class”, Time Magazine, May 8, 2015
http://time.com/3849501/why-schools-need-to-bring-back-shop-class/
7
https://www.tealsk12.org/about/#map accessed 9/10/2017
8
https://www.firstinspires.org/team-event-search/team?program=FLL&year=2017&number=23761
9
https://www.powerschool.com/whitepaper/power-makerspaces-design-thinking-k-12-education/
10
https://www.cnbc.com/2015/05/27/why-a-business-would-choose-your-state.html
opportunity to introduce vocational education early to our students. For example, our students
would be eligible to take the New York State emergency medical technician (EMT) course if they
will reach their 18th birthday by the end of the course which is a state-wide test provided by the
New York State Department of Health. EMTs can further choose to advance their education to
become Paramedics, Nurses, Emergency Managers or other medical and/or first responder
fields. Vocational education can also be infused with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Math) concepts which can help our students succeed further into a trade-based career or
post-college career. This would assist in not only meeting the needs of our current job market,
but also expanding the job market.

As you may be aware, Foursquare is thinking of opening an office in the Hudson Valley 11.
Amazon which is located in West Coast (Seattle) is also looking for a second headquarters in
North America 12. We feel having industry that can collaborate with our schools would be
mutually beneficial but we must be ready to meet our part to foster that collaborative
environment. While the StartUp NY program is geared towards collaboration with colleges 13,
we see opportunities of adding part of the Site to the StartUp NY program in collaboration with
our primary/secondary schools for greater success in producing the next generation of skilled
workers.

What we can offer

We feel that the Site has potential in part and would need much more than the initial $6 million
offered by the Economic Development Grant that may be available. We are also a public entity
that is subject to the same tax cap rules as local governments. Our next bond opportunity for
capital projects is quite a few years away and comes with its own restrictions. Therefore, we
may be able to put part of the property to use but would need more time to explore additional
options, partnerships, and grants for a full proposal on the full use of the Site. We hope that
ESD can work with us as we investigate these further options, as well as, inform us about other
grants or collaborations that may be available from the State 14,15.

We are also looking forward to engaging our community in this endeavor. In preparation for
this submission we took an informal poll of our community on what they would like to see done
with the Site 16 (not ranked in any particular order or popularity – of note we left out the
comedic ones):

11
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/life/2017/08/24/why-were-thinking-opening-foursquare-office-
hudson-valley/597370001/
12
http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/07/technology/amazon-second-headquarters/index.html
13
https://startup.ny.gov/map-school/dutchess-community-college
14
https://dasny.org/Finance/GrantAdministration.aspx
15
https://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/content/mid-hudson
16
https://goo.gl/diTRJR
 - Art residents to work with students in all disciplines; Arts training and education
complex; Writing retreat center; production studio; animation studio
- Sport fields; Recreational center 17; Sports dome; Activity & fitness rooms; YMCA; Family
gym
- Learning farm; community garden; Bring the cost of food down; composting facilities
- Community health center
- Team building (i.e. ropes course) in collaboration with a local business
- Commercial use that employs a lot of personnel; Commercial and light industry use for
professionals with a component that also works in conjunction with the BCSD; Cutting
edge industries like solar energy that benefit the community; a way that provides
students with marketable job skills, employment internships, etc.
- Community makerspace; Community resource learning center; Space where our local
kids can explore science and arts and/or to hold workshops, birthday parties, and
events; Creative play; Tech & engineering; cooperative maker space with woodworking,
metal arts and 3D printing and other computer assisted design
- Performance space
- Occupational college; construction training; trade school; BOCES and/or College satellite
campus; Education facilities for both children and adults; a University campus or sister
campus.
- A shelter
- Nonprofit usage, small business incubators; Cloud startup for local and out of state
startups.
- A place for the teens in our community

As you can see, the feedback we received varies greatly. We see very big ideas that need
further community engagement.

We would welcome working with the Site’s local advisory/stakeholder group which includes
representatives from the State Senate, State Assembly, Dutchess County and members of
the administrations of the City of Beacon and the Town of Fishkill. We can further strengthen
the bridge of community engagement and meeting our community needs through our work.
We understand that what we propose is not perhaps a linear approach to creating jobs.
However, we are also not afraid to have tough conversations as we try to make big ideas
happen in a more holistic perspective which will take time and further discussions.

Contact
If you have any questions on our submission, please do not hesitate to contact:
- Dr. Matthew Landahl, Superintendent of Schools, landahl.m@beaconk12.org, 845-838-
6900 x 2010.

We look forward to hearing from you.

17
FYI: This link was also provided in one of the suggestions: https://www.ridgefieldparksandrec.org