Tearing down a building is not as easy as just hiring someone with a bulldozer and a wrecking ball. There have been plans to demolish the old New Paltz Town Hall for quite some time, and the demolition finally took place last week after the asbestos abatement was completed from the building. The town government moved into its modular digs on Clearwater Road in 2014 due to persistent health woes traced to black mold infestation in the old town hall.
The result of last week’s demolition will be an empty lot, ready for whatever town council members decide to do with it.
“Now that the old town hall is being removed, it’s appropriate to move forward on our stalled effort to design a new home for the town’s offices, police department and justice court at this site,” said town board member Marty Irwin.
Previous discussions about how many municipal government functions could be accommodated within the footprint of the old town hall have not led to any solid plans.
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