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| 3/5/2010 | Email this article • Print this article | Ownership of city lot in question
GASD may not own all of 300 Guy Park Ave.
Eric Jones
Reporter
Members of the Greater Amsterdam School Board of Education were all set to close out a sale of a building on Guy Park Avenue this week - until they found out the district doesn't own the whole property.
According to school attorney William Mycek, a search for the title deed on the lot revealed that the three 50 acre by 120 acre lots to the right of the 108-year-old 300 Guy Park Ave. building, which was previously used as the Guy Park Avenue School and the home of the Walter Elwood Museum, were conveyed to the city in 1935 instead of to the school district. The fenced-in area currently contains a gazebo.
GASD Superintendent Thomas Perillo said he had already contacted the city regarding the property's status, including Mayor Ann Thane and Corporation Council Gerald DeCusatis.
"What we're going to do is seek assistance from the city to see if we can resolve the issue," said Perillo.
Montgomery County tax maps show that the school district owns the entire parcel, but the only lots deeded to the GASD are the ones the actual building sits on. DeCusatis said he will look into whether or not the rest of the property is as well.
"Our next step will be to do some research, look at the deeds, and see exactly what they say," said DeCusatis. "We'll have to look through the resolutions in the minutes of the common council over the years to see if there is any action that has been take with respect to these parcels. That would then determine what the current situation actually is, as opposed to guessing what it might be, and then based upon what the mayor and the council decide as appropriate would be what we can do."
DeCusatis will also look into if the property was classified as park land, and what restrictions are in place for the transference of the land without the need of a special election.
On Feb. 10, district taxpayers approved the sale of the property to Edward Parkes Jr., who had planned to refurbish the property as a day care center. Parkes's son, Jamie Parkes, said that discussions will be ongoing between his attorney, Jeff Francisco, and Mycek, as the side parcel is crucial to his father's plans.
"I don't know what legalities need to get involved as far as where they need to take it," said Parkes. "Obviously that parcel plays an important role in us purchasing the entirety of 300 Guy Park. I still want to move forward with both pieces, and hopefully they'll be able to resolve it."
Third Ward Alderman Gina DeRossi, whose ward contains the property, was in favor of transferring the property to the district. DeRossi served as GASD school board president until December 2009.
"I certainly feel that we should give it to the school district," said DeRossi. "This particular area is just helping the city, because it's putting it on the tax roll. The school district has maintained it for so long now, I just feel like basically they've treated it as theirs, and I don't even know if the city was aware that it was their [property]."
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Contact Eric Jones at eric.jones@recordernews.com.
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