By JIMMY LAWTON

OGDENSBURG – Frustrated with waiting for the city to create an Adaptive Reuse District, Step by Step is now seeking to rezone the former Lincoln School property in order to use it as its primary location.

The defunct school was purchased by Step by Step Inc. last year, but because it is in a residential zoned area, the organization has been unable relocate its services.

Step By Step provides outpatient mental health services and currently rents space in the Ogdensburg Mall, Ford Street.

Step By Step Inc. Director David Bayne said he had hoped to wait for the city to establish the Adaptive Reuse District, which would have included the former school, but decided to move forward after months of stalled plans.

“We’ve been patiently waiting for the Adaptive Reuse District to happen. We never anticipated it would take this long. After six months we decided to pursue another avenue,” he said.

The ARD had been near completion multiple times only to be scrapped and retooled after residents questioned its legality and raised concerned over decreased property values.

Hoping to move the project forward Step by Step Inc. submitted an application to rezone the property as part of the city’s planned development district. This distinction would make the school part of a floating zoning district that would allow for non-residential uses of the property.

At the most recent meeting the city council approved a public hearing for both the Adaptive Reuse District and Step by Step’s proposal to be included in the PDD.

Bayne said he was hopeful the property would be rezoned in to the ARD by now, but since that has failed to happen, he explored other options.

Bayne said the proposal includes moving its current offerings to the former school as well as potential residential and business office space.

He said he would like to see the community use the facility for public events as well. One example included in the plan was public use for the school’s gymnasium.

“We would like to put day-hab there, and include some housing component. We are not sure what it would look like yet. It could be respite or emergency temporary housing, but that would be two, three, five years down the road,” he said.

Bayne said he is dismayed that the purchase of the building has caused controversy in the community. He said he has held an open house and tried to reach out to people about what Step by Step is and offers, but said he has had minimal success.

“The process has created a lot of controversy. I know some of the city council would rather we wait and go through the ARD, but there are no guarantees it will happen,” he said. “But depending on how things work out that’s still a possibility as well.”

Bayne said he wants a chance to prove to nearby residents that he is not bringing a criminal element into the neighborhood and that property values will not decrease because of the presence of his facility.

“I understand there is a whole lot of resistance and fear, but I think we can become part of the community,” he said. “I think it is really a vocal minority that opposes it,” he said.

Bayne said facilities like Step by Step will be even more important as the state continues to push toward out patient mental health services. He said the city rallied together to save the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center, but is failing to see that Step by Step is a large part of SLPC’s future.

“We are hoping we can fight the stigma and create a space in the community where everyone can interact together,” he said.

A public hearing for both the ARD and the Step by Step’s rezoning request will be held May 11 at 7 p.m. at City Hall.