Binghamton Elementary School Upgrade Will Receive More State Aid

Needed renovation work at an old Binghamton elementary school could start sooner with the approval of additional state funding for the project.

For years, Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School on Ogden Street on the city's North Side has been in need of upgrading.

Parents and neighborhood residents spoke out against the possibility the school might be closed.

School district officials had sought approval to increase the amount of state aid to help pay for a project that's expected to cost at least $52 million.

Binghamton residents were shocked last December when Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed a measure that had been passed by the Senate and Assembly to clear the way for more funding.

Hochul had said the matter should have been dealt with in the state budget instead of under a separate bill.

Now, according to Senator Lea Webb and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo, a provision was included in the just-approved New York budget.

The school has been plagued with outdated infrastructure and ongoing safety concerns that have posed serious challenges.

Classrooms at Roosevelt don't meet minimum square footage standards, adversely affecting teaching.

The presence of asbestos - which was used for fireproofing and insulation - affects 85 percent of the school building.

City school district officials haven't said when work on the renovations will get underway or whether the cost estimate for the project has increased from the initial projection.

School superintendent Tonia Thompson and school board president Steve Seepersaud did not return calls from WNBF News seeking comment on the condition of the elementary school building.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.