Survey Results Favor Residential Development at Closed Island Trees School

The Island Trees School District is in the process of selling its Geneva N. Gallow School in Levittown, with the District asking the community for their input on its replacement. 

A pre-school program run by Nassau BOCES closed on July 1, leaving the district with a potential $500,000 financial burden. The building on Farmedge Rd. was leased by BOCES since 1992, and the district said there were few other lease options for the building.

The district previously announced a partnership with Oxford & Simpson Realty Corp. for the disposition of the property. Residents were encouraged to share their input on the future of the property and the results of the survey are now complete, said Island Trees Superintendent Charles Murphy.

Here are some highlights from the survey:

• 64 percent of respondents said "limited housing availability for seniors" was a bigger issue than "housing availability for young adults."

• On the question, "What is the most important priority to you resulting from a sale of this property?" 42 percent said "helping maintain and improve services for the school district" while 39 percent said" keeping taxes and other costs low" and 19 percent said "maintaining open space."

• On the question, "Which sale scenario would you favor?" 45 percent answered, “A residential development of the property which generates moderate tax dollars to the community and moderate revenue to the school district", while 17 percent answered "an outside school or religious use of the property generating no tax dollars to the community and moderate revenue to the school district." Only 11 percent favored a commercial development of the property.

• On the question, "Out of the following residential uses, which would be most favorable to you?" 35 percent answered "Single family detached homes - this is what currently is predominate in the immediate community" while 31 percent answered "Senior Residence."