What’s Next for the Masera Property?

After the community defeated a referendum on January 19 that would allow for the sale of West Islip's Masera property to be used for a 55 age and older two story apartment/condominium complex, many residents in the surrounding area are wondering what the future of the property will be.

The Board of Education confirmed at its March regular meeting that a potential tenant has expressed interest in the building. The building has been vacant since 2019 and according to BOE President Steve Gellar needs millions of dollars to restore it to a usable condition. This expense includes a new roof, plumbing improvements and the removal of mold and according to Gellar would be the responsibility of the potential tenant which is a private school. Should this not be a viable option, Gellar said that the BOE would “go back to the drawing board” with little specificity as to what that entails. The Board has been criticized by some in the community for a lack of transparency on its handling of Masera.

Shortly after the January 19 vote, a resident wrote to the BOE and recommended that a committee be formed to ensure that community concerns on the future of Masera be heard. The Board has authorized committees like this in the past such as its Budget Advisory Committee and a committee to explore the district’s declining enrollment prior to the closing of Westbrook and Kirdahy. It’s for this reason that the failure to even respond to this recommendation is somewhat puzzling, especially since the BOE's referendum was defeated by a 77% to 23% outcome. All of the possible options for the site have pros and cons which makes this a difficult decision and no matter what the outcome some people will be unhappy. Incorporating community involvement will provide integrity to the decision, address any misinformation and allow residents to understand how the decision was reached. Its unclear as to what the rationale is of excluding community involvement especially when the decision on the site’s next steps will ultimately remain in the hands of the elected BOE.

The fact that the BOE was unwilling to address the building’s deteriorating condition nearing the lease's expiration in 2019 may be a sign that it doesn’t have an appetite to keep a third rental property and the overhead associated with it. As the building remains vacant the district will continue to allocate some of its existing resources to perform security and maintenance services in additional to paying for utilities which in 2020 were approximately $17,000. And while the risk of vandalism seems to exist at any and all school buildings, there has been no record of any recent vandalism. In the event the BOE should go back to the drawing board, the building‘s condition will most certainly continue to deteriorate making it more expensive to repair and more economical to sell.

Note: As of the posting of this article the Jamie Winkler Real Estate website lists the Masera property at $8MM.