Since Oracle Charter School closed nearly a year ago, the landmark building at 888 Delaware Avenue has been empty. A plan is now in place to transform the century-old structure into a boutique hotel and apartments.
The plan from Paul Kolkmeyer's Priam Enterprises is starting through the city's regulatory process. It calls for 29 hotel rooms and 20 apartments.
"It's absolutely beautiful on the inside and we'd like to do, our plan at least, is to turn it back into what it's original splendor was," Kolkmeyer said.
The old Charles Goodyear mansion was built in 1902 for $500,000, a signifigant amount for the time.
"There are some rooms that have been cut up and we'd like to turn them back into the way they originally stood, years ago."
There has been a series of meetings with the neighborhood about the proposal.
"There were some concerns initially," said Council Majority Leader David Rivera. "The developer has made some changes, has gone back to the community. I'm hopeful that we can mitigate and come to some form of resolution and that the project can move forward."
Kolkmeyer says the plan includes repairing as many of the mansion details as possible and will seek historic preservation tax credits for the $10 million reconstruction. He says he would like to start construction work in the last quarter of this year.
