Thorne Building and Bennett Park join forces

MILLBROOK — In anticipation of an upcoming press release, The Millerton News had a conversation with Oakeigh Thorne, chairman of the Thorne Building Community Center (TBCC) project, about a collaboration between it and Bennett Park. 

The Thorne Building sits at the head of Franklin Avenue — handsome, but empty and forlorn. The Bennett College property is at the foot of Franklin Avenue, off Route 343, with Halcyon Hall in particular looking desolate and foreboding.

Nearing a very long-awaited handing over of the Thorne Building from the Village of Millbrook (VOM) to the 501(3)C nonprofit TBCC, the announcement will be welcome news to many. The initial contract between the village and the TBCC took place in 2019, but certain conditions had to be met first. 

A brief history

The Thorne family donated the building and property to be used solely for educational purposes, which encouraged the village to incorporated as such in 1895 in order to receive the property. If it ceased to be used as a school it was written in the contract that the building would revert back to the Thorne family. 

After a long and arduous process, the village has finally settled the reversion clause and  all of the necessary work has been done by the Millbrook Early Education Center to allow it to use the property’s playground. A zoning overlay was also created to permit the community center its various uses. The village expects the property to exchange hands shortly. 

Thorne said the sale of the building for $1, which was paid to the village, will allow the pricey renovation plans to begin with Phase 1 including asbestos removal and the preservation of the edifice’s exterior. First the proper permits must be acquired. 

The planning process

A series of public meetings were held to help decide the future of the Thorne Building before its use as a community center was settled upon. Many of the current plans have evolved from those meetings.

Asked how the pandemic has hampered the project’s progress, Thorne said, “We actually got a lot done over that time. We’re ready to come out of the gates now that we can get together. It’s exciting.”

Former Planning Committee Chair for the TBCC Charles Pierce released a press release on June 26 in which he addressed the efforts to work on the dual projects.

“Capitalizing on a once-in-a-century opportunity to reimagine two village icons, The Millbrook Community Partnership, Inc. [MCP], a 501(C)3 organization, has been established to create a new park on the former Bennett College property while simultaneously renovating and restoring the Thorne Building into a community center.”

How to best deal with both buildings in the village has weighed on the minds of residents for years and been raised repeatedly at Village Board meetings, in newspaper articles and on social media. 

Enter Tribute Gardens

The Millbrook Tribute Garden is working with the TBCC  and the Thorne family to make up a partnership that will be charged with raising $20 million to complete both projects. It will eventually oversee the development and finally the operation of the two facilities.

“We want to take two of our community’s greatest liabilities… and transform them to be among our greatest assets,” Thorne said.

Now president of the MPC, he added, “These two facilities will create a vibrant platform for MPC and other local nonprofit organizations to deliver a plenitude of indoor and outdoor, civic and cultural programs.”

Thorne said that the safe demolition of the Bennett College buildings is of utmost importance, as there is known to be asbestos in them, a major concern of residents living in Bennett Commons. 

Joint vision

Both Thorne and Pierce described their vision of the renovated properties. Bennett Park, with 32 acres, will be a green gateway to the village with walking, hiking and bike trails incorporated into the plans. A landscape architectural firm has been retained to oversee other enhancements that will take place after public comments are heard and reviewed.

MCP has already received bids for the demolition of the college buildings. Once it raises enough money it will begin demolition. It is also planning a meeting with Bennett neighbors and the community to give information on the demolition  and to seek input on the project.

Sloane Architects, P.C., a Millbrook firm, has been retained for the Thorne project, which plans to include a film and theater program, music and art studios, gallery space, culinary programs, a computer gaming room, a technology center — it will be a complete and well-rounded community center. There will also be room for public meetings and other events. 

Plans for Bennett Park are contingent upon agreements with several parties and will encompass  land now occupied by the Bennett Commons swimming pool and tennis courts, Halcyon Hall, the Alumna Building, the Chapel, Carroll Hall, Melon Arts Center and the Kettering Science Center. 

There were an additional 8 acres of land located north of the campus that are also included in the park plans. An agreement was reached between the Halcyon Master Association Inc. (Bennett Commons) and the Tribute Garden late last year to relocate the tennis courts and swimming pool to land closer to the condominiums. 

The Tribute Garden donated an additional 12 acres and the Thorne family donated an additional 20 acres.

The demolition and renovation at both Bennett College and at the Thorne Building have taken years, but now seem to be coming to fruition. When completed, those behind the project hope it will benefit the community and its citizens, and perhaps attract young families and visitors to the area who will avail themselves of the village’s many shops, restaurants and social and recreational activities that abound.