Reacting to the village board's vote to further investigate using the St. Paul's Main Building as a library/community center and the Preservation League of New York State's approval to list the building as one of "Seven to Save" in 2004, the Friends of St. Paul's ad hoc group stood on the steps of the historic landmark on a cold Jan. 8 afternoon to discuss potential efforts to save the building from demolition.

Robert Alvey of Garden City, a Friends of St. Paul's member, said, "This building must not be lost. It has been held hostage from public use for nearly a decade as the village tried to ignore a New York State law prohibiting the building and land from being sold to private developers. Even now, efforts to change the law are being made..."

Tania Werbizky, director of technical and grant programs for the Preservation League of New York State, met with former and present residents that afternoon and the board of trustees during a 7 p.m. work session later that evening to discuss the availability and scope of funding grants for the building's preservation.

"In our consideration of which seven to include [on the Seven to Save list], St. Paul's School stood out," she said. "There are several reasons why the Preservation League selected this landmark." Among those reasons:

According to a statement Werbizky read, "The building is of outstanding historic and architectural significance. In every sense of the word, St. Paul's School is a landmark. Designed by noted architect Edward Harris, St. Paul's School opened its doors in 1883. Its significance was officially recognized in 1978 by its listing in the State and National Registers of Historic places as a high Victorian Gothic-style masterpiece. Its cultural importance derives from its association with the vision and contribution of A.T. Stewart and his development of a model, planned suburban community."

Further, Werbizky said that the building "holds the promise of a new beginning. Recently, St. Paul's School experienced several promising events on the road to securing its future. Village leadership has convened public meetings regarding reuse possibilities and a new group, the Committee to Save St. Paul's, has been formed.

"We are here today in part to say thank you for the work so far and to encourage even greater achievements - because there is still so much to be done - on behalf of this landmark, the neighborhood and the village," she said.

Finally, Werbizky said that the Preservation League is certain that a reopened St. Paul's School will be a "beacon of hope and inspiration for the area. The jobs that would be created, both in its rehabilitation and its operation in its new life, would be significant to Garden City."

Trustee Peter Negri, a large proponent of the library/community center idea, attended the "Make A Stand" event and later told Werbizky, "with any foundation money comes lots of strings, for example the current application doesn't include a slate roof," he said.

As in any grant, Werbizky told him, the answer lies in guidelines and track record. "It's not one size fits all. One grant may ask for x while another may ask for y." One thing, however, is certain - the goal of the grant programs is to keep buildings, such as St. Paul's, standing.

Trustee John Mauk asked, quite frankly, "Is funding like this really applicable to something of this magnitude?" Small pots of money are out there, Werbizky assured, and if "vision, direction and will to do it [is there], funding can be obtained."

She pledged support, on behalf of the League, its president, Scott Heyl, its chairman, Judy LaBelle and the village trustees, and vowed to help bring greater visibility to the building and to the issues faced by both the structure and community.

"Our deliberation for including St. Paul's School occurred in its 120th year of existence," Werbizky noted. "Now that the landmark has been selected, we at the Preservation League promise to work with the community's many stakeholders and to help make 2004 a banner year for this remarkable building."