The Massena Boys and Girls Club will purchase the former St. Joseph’s school. Present at the signing of the deal are, from left, seated, MBCG Board of Directors President Tim Currier, real estate broker Lucy Kassian and Father Scott Fobare of St. Joseph’s Parish; standing, MBCG Treasurer Richard Cook, MBGC Secretary Gabe Hinkley, and Boys and Girls Club Capital Campaign Manager William Wolf.

By ANDY GARDNER

MASSENA -- Officials with the Massena Boys and Girls Club inked a deal to purchase the former St. Joseph’s school on Bayley Road on Tuesday morning and are hopeful to soon have the facility up and running.

“Our goal is to open next year sometime,” Tim Currier said, president of the Massena Boys and Girls Club board of directors.

Now that the title is in the club’s name, a committee of volunteers and board members will evaluate the building and make any necessary upgrades to bring it up to code.

The club’s new home was purchased at $125,000 with a $20,000 down payment. Currier said the down payment was raised entirely through donations.

“We’ve had great support so far from the community in various ways,” Currier said. “We’re thankful for all the support we’ve gotten.”

He said the parish has been quite amenable throughout the purchasing process and credited them with agreeing to an unusual contract. It gives them time to come up with the remaining $105,000. This avoided the headache of having to go through a financier and deal with a long-term mortgage.

“There’s a value in the Boys and Girls Club coming to Massena and we wanted to endorse that,” Father Scott Fobare said.

“It gives us a year to pay that off,” Currier said. “We are very thankful to Father Fobare, to the parish council … for graciously working with us on the terms.”

He added that they will seek more private donations, along with pursuing government and foundation grants.

“We have a long way to go in meeting our financial goals, and there is a great deal of work to do,” he wrote in a prepared statement.

Once finished, Currier said the center will include a homework room, a room specifically for teens, play area, multi-purpose art room and “lots of space left over to identify other programs and needs.”

They are anticipating a minimum paid staff of five or six. It would include an executive director, programming and activities head, and three or four assistants, according to Boys and Girls Club capital campaign manager Bill Wolf. They would be supported by volunteers. Once fully operational, the club will partner with the Massena Central School District as well as local colleges.

Currier said he feels the former St. Joseph’s school is a great place on many levels to house the Boys and Girls Club.

“The symbolism here, where a former school becomes the home of our club means a great deal. The educational component of our program is vital to our success,” he wrote.