At a March 2007 Board of Education meeting, William Beckman of Beckman Appraisals gave an abbreviated report of the value of the four “excess” properties that are part of the South Orangetown Central School District (SOCSD). The District’s Finance Council had recommended the sale of these properties as a way to generate profit to offset impending crucial infrastructure costs. In his report, Beckman identified the Palisades school as the most desirable of the four, indicating its best use was for the development of eight homes with the potential of a $3.3 million plus sale.

At the end of May, SOCSD negotiated a year’s renewal with the Fred S. Keller School with the possibility of 10-year lease and the option to purchase the building and its property. According to Dr. Zambito, SOCSD Superintendent of Schools, the Board has been looking at short and long-term options as a means to maintain this as an educational site. The Fred S. Keller School, which serves children with autism and related disabilities, is privately owned and is registered for CABAS (Comprehensive Application of Behavior Analysis to Schooling). The Keller School will make much needed repairs to the building and there is also talk of their enlarging it. “The appraisals are not completed because the final document needs to reflect the use,” states Dr. Zambito. “Therefore, when it is decided what the outcome would be for this facility, the appraisal would reflect the value based on the specific use.”

For seventy years the Palisades school has been an educational facility serving Palisades and the greater South Orangetown community. Many in the community continue to hope that the building is not sold for a housing development and remains a school building under the jurisdiction of SOCSD. Also, before any long-term rental decision is made or an “option to purchase” agreement or sale is even considered, a complete appraisal needs to be made public and the community kept informed of this.

The Children’s Enrichment Center, which also rented the building for six years, was not offered a lease renewal and has settled into the Manse Barn in Tappan.