By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- The Town is getting a new museum and cultural center.

At a Wednesday special Town Council meeting that was preceded by a vaguely worded news release, the board announced that local attorney Randy Peets will buy Seacomm Federal Credit Union’s Main Street branch and donate it to the town.

He is giving it on the condition that it dubbed the Celine G. Philibert Cultural Center and Museum. While remaining town-owned, it will replace the Massena Museum on East Orvis Street.

“It’s a very generous gift … this will be a huge upgrade,” museum board President Joe Macaulay said.

The center’s namesake was Peets’ partner of 20 years. She was a native of France, who moved to the United States to teach French in the SUNY Potsdam Modern Language Department. She died of cancer in December 2013.

“Randy wanted to do this as an everlasting tribute to her and her memory,” Gray said.

“He and Celine used to travel all over the world and see different museums.”

Councilman Samuel Carbone said although the Seacomm building will come off the tax rolls, the town wins in the end. He noted that the existing museum is in need of repairs and costs more to heat.

Right now, the town is paying $8,000 to $9,000 annually to heat the East Orvis Street museum. The Seacomm building carries about a $1,900 annual heating tab, Carbone said.

“The present museum’s location is a drawback,” Councilman Albert Nicola said. “We have an old building with aging infrastructure.”

Once the museum is open, Gray said it will also host events besides museum functions, hence the title cultural center. He said that could include political forums, social events and musical performances.

“It’s a dual-purpose facility,” he said, noting that is among the stipulations under which Peets is transferring the 4,200 square-foot property to the town.

Gray said it will be large enough to accommodate the museum’s existing inventory, plus office, archival and storage space.

He hopes the museum will include a “story of Massena,” educating people on the town’s evolution from it’s foundation in the 1700s, the rise of the Massena springs, the arrival of industry, the Seaway and today.

Seacomm is vacating the building on June 1 and consolidating their offices on Stearns Street. Seacomm CEO Scott Wilson said they hope to close the sale by the end of June.