A tale of two buildings

Masons to move out of historic lodge, look to VFW building, By Leslie Cosgrove Goshen — Overcome by the cost of supporting their aging historic buildings, three local organizations are working on an arrangement that will keep all of them afloat. The Free and Accepted Masons of Goshen Lodge No. 365 are in negotiations to sell the building that has been their meeting place since 1928. The Lodge was founded in 1855, and the building was erected around the same time, in the mid to late 19th century. The Masons accepted an offer from an engineering firm and hope to close the deal in April. The broker, Jim Cimino of Trottown Realty, said the buyer made a “brilliant” offer, and has impressive plans to improve the building. “The citizens of Goshen will be very pleased,” he said, adding that a closing is still several months away. According to Doug Kent, the Masons’ treasurer for the last 14 years, the Lodge can no longer afford the property taxes and expense of running the building. “We saw it coming about ten years ago,” said Louis Barbone Sr., who has served as Worshipful Master, or leader, for three years. The Lodge has an assessed value of $427,000 and pays $19,158 in taxes. To offset their mounting bills, the Masons 15 years ago leased their first floor to Orange County Community Development. The county pays $3,500 a month in rent, but racks up enormous gas and electric bills — a bad deal for the Masons, Barbone said. “It costs about $25,000 per year to run that building,” he said. With taxes, the Masons’ expenses total about $45,000 per year. They receive $42,000 in rent, plus money from fundraising and the modest donations from groups who borrow their meeting room. In the end, the Masons found themselves in a financial hole. In addition, a recent letter from John McCarey, the county’s real property director, said the county will not renew its lease because it intends to consolidate office space in county-owned buildings to save money. The lease terminates Jan. 31, 2008. Kent called the building “antiquated.” With all the vacant new office space in Goshen, attracting a tenant to a more lucrative lease is unrealistic, Barbone said. Several members, or “brothers,” in the Lodge don’t want to give up the building, but no one has come up with a feasible alternative, he said. It seems sentiment, history, heritage, and tradition cannot overcome financial reality. Barbone said he and other members have investigated all other options, including tax credits. But because the Masons were incorporated as a fraternity, they are subject to taxes despite their charitable work. The Masons came to terms with what appeared to be their only option. “Either sell it or lose it,” Barbone said of the building. With the sale impending, the Masons have looked for other meeting places. Barbone said the group wants to stay in Goshen and continue to serve the community. Goshen’s welfare was at the heart of their decision with regard to their sale, he said. Several “church groups” looked at the building, he said, but Lodge members wanted the building to stay on the tax rolls so Goshen wouldn’t lose revenue. By renting space, the Masons hope to keep their organization intact without the financial strain of property taxes. At this juncture, sharing the building occupied by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and American Legion may be the most viable option. Several Masons are also members of the VFW and American Legion. Barbone is a member of both veterans’ groups, and Kent is a Legion member. “It’s a tight-knit group,” said Jim Bruno, the financial officer for the VFW and the Legion. Many members of the three organizations also belong to other groups, such as the fire companies, the Italian-American Club, and the Catholic War Veterans. A place for veterans Built in the mid-1800s, the VFW’s quaint brick building was once the caretaker’s cottage on the Haight family farm and estate. The family once owned a large tract, including the former Salesian school property, now a public park. As the family’s circumstances changed, Bruno said, the cemetery, mausoleum, and caretaker’s cottage were parceled off into a 4.5-acre tract. The family maintains ownership through the tax-exempt Haight Family Cemetery Association. In the early 1970s, the veterans met at various places, such as the firehouse and the Orange Inn, Bruno said. In 1975, the veterans started Post 1708 and entered into a caretaker’s lease with the cemetery association, with the help of former Police Chief Fred Walker. The lease required the veterans to maintain the building and grounds and pay for the insurance and utilities. Bruno said the lease is indefinite, with termination at the discretion of the veterans. The building in 1975 was dilapidated and the grounds overgrown. The veterans made whatever improvements they could to get a certificate of occupancy. Afterward, the building was still not in great shape, and now it’s even worse. “It’s close to being condemned,” said the Post’s commander, Cory Kilvert. For $50 per month, the VFW leases one of its two tiny meeting rooms to the American Legion. A Boy Scout troop uses the space, too. The veterans lack money to make improvements to the building. Kilvert said the estimate for the roof alone is $60,000. Bricks are falling off the building, the heating system needs work, the bathroom and kitchen need renovations, and the list goes on. Ballpark estimates for needed improvements are in the range of $200,000. Bruno said the veterans are ineligible for grants because they don’t own the building. Right now, Bruno said, the VFW pays $2,000 per year for insurance, $1,000 for heat, and $500 for electricity. Other expenses include maintaining the grounds and removing snow. The VFW’s only income is the rent from the Legion, a $500 meeting stipend from the village, and proceeds from their annual Christmas tree sale. This year the sale raised $4,000. The two veterans are in a tough spot — their building is crumbling around them, and they have no means to fix it. They need to make a move. A win-win solution? The Masons are considering sharing the VFW building with the veterans. But Barbone is emphatic that no changes can occur unless the sale goes through. If the building sells, the Masons will have a sizeable sum to spend. Barbone said the Masons are thinking of designating a couple of members to join the cemetery association. If plans work out, the Masons will invest in building renovations. Having Masons in the cemetery association will assure the Lodge maintains some control over their investment, Kent said. Barbone and Kent said the Masons intend to share the building with the VFW and American Legion. All three entities will pay only enough rent to the cemetery association to cover expenses, and they’ve given the veterans a ballpark figure of $1,500 per year. The Masons will likely pay more because of insurance. Barbone stressed that the veterans will have a home for as long as they want, that “it will be a lot better home than they have now.” He said the Boy Scouts and any other reputable organizations will be welcome to use the building, too. “I think it’s going to be a great thing for everybody,” he said. The Haight family likes the arrangement, Barbone said, and asked that the building retain the Haight name. The building might be named something like “the Haight Community Center” rather than the Masonic Lodge. The Masons met with the VFW on Jan. 24. Barbone is under the impression that the veterans are in favor of the proposition. But Commander Kilvert said it’s not a done deal. He acknowledged the arrangement could be good, but like some other veterans, he doesn’t like the idea of losing the autonomy the veterans now have. “Personally, I don’t want to share a building with a group that’s not a veterans’ organization,” he said. Jim Bruno feels differently. “As veterans, we served then, and we serve our community now,” he said. “As part of the community, you share.” His wish list for the veterans would include a dedicated meeting room, adequate storage space, and an affordable long-term rental price. Does the VFW really have a choice in accepting the Masons? “If I wanted to stop this, I probably could stop it,” Bruno said, referring to the veterans’ discretion to terminate the caretaker’s lease. Barbone disagreed: “My understanding is that they voided the terms of that lease long ago” because the veterans allowed the building to deteriorate. He conceded that, if the sale of the Lodge goes through, and negotiations with the Haight family work out, the Masons could proceed legally without the consent of the veterans. But Kent quickly interjected, “Morally, we cannot do that.” Barbone agreed, showing a Masonic card stating the importance of honesty, integrity, and honor to their organization. “If they don’t want us, we’ll go someplace else,” he said. He listed the Goshen Senior Center and the old Goshen Volunteer Ambulance building as alternatives. The VFW and American Legion are meeting on Feb. 12 to discuss their options. The Masons will meet and finalize some of their plans on Feb. 5.