old town hall

The Town of Bethany wants residents to voice their opinion on what they think should be done with the old Town Hall property.

Carl Hyde Jr., Bethany town supervisor, will be having an informational meeting at 6 :30 p.m. on Friday, July 10, at the Bethany Community Center. At the meeting, Hyde will be sharing with the community the costs needed to repair and maintain the property.

"I want the community's input to help decide whether to sell it, auction it or take it down," Hyde said.

The town is struggling financially and doesn't have the funds to maintain the property anymore. To continue trying to sell the property, the town would have to spend $15,000 for engineer reports and renew the contract they have with the Landmark Society of WNY by July 31. 

Maintenance repairs are a major setback for potential buyers. Hyde had several people interested in turning the property into a rental hall but the cost of $100,00 worth of repairs deterred them. Due to the building being vacant for almost 10 years, it's starting to deteriorate. The septic system only has a holding tank and the quality of the well water is poor.

The building has been a centerpiece of the town since it was built in 1836. Historical features of the building include an auditorium, stage and meeting hall. 

"It's tough to let an old building go," Hyde said. "I would love to see it sold and turned into a professional office or reused in some way."

After the meeting is held and residents have spoken, the town board will make a final decision on how to move forward with the property.

Photo: File photo from 2011 when Bethany attempted to sell the building through an area real estate agent.