2,174 Comments for Bennett School for Girls
Felicity wrote:
Well, ladies and gentlemen, it looks as though our time with Halcyon is truly nearing its end. I made another run down to Millbrook today, and Halcyon is about the only building left standing. The May F. Bennett chapel is still there, Pat, but those two are it. I keep forgetting to take photos of it, because it's set so far back from the rest of the complex. Carroll Hall is completely demolished, as well as Alumnae Hall and its auditorium. The Bennett campus hasn't looked the way it did today since the early fifties, and somehow it was more recognizable like this than with the buildings there. Here are the pictures, for those of us who can't make it there.
https://imgur.com/a/7xfuILs
While I was there, they were cleaning up the rubble from the earlier demos. Based on that, and on the progress they've made since this video from Antiquity Echoes that was taken a week and a half ago, we have about another week left, maybe a little longer.
https://www.facebook.c...73901963&ref=sharing
I was planning, in these final days, to cap off Halcyon's existence with a big project. However, it appears that she doesn't want to be disturbed. I was planning on flying my drone through the interior, to get one final look on camera, but I couldn't fly closer than 50 feet without completely losing control of it. I tried a couple of times, but each time I tried to get any closer, it went wobbly, and when it straightened itself back out, it would be both further from the building, and pointing away from it. After the last attempt, I managed to get it back to me, but when I went to land it, it shot right out into the road as if it were possessed, and got totaled. I know when to take a hint, so if I ever manage to put it back together, it's staying far away from Bennett.
https://imgur.com/a/Q14U6EK
Pat, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one dreaming of Halcyon, though it seems our dreams differ somewhat. I have one every week or two, ever since November 2020, when I first visited. Usually it's still ruined, and usually it isn't the focus of the dream. Sometimes it is though, and occasionally it looks brand new, though those tend to be set in the past. I've even had one that felt so real, that it was as if it was a memory. Who knows, though? My dreams tend to be atypical anyways. No singing, Shakespearean, skateboarding giraffes for me.
https://imgur.com/a/7xfuILs
While I was there, they were cleaning up the rubble from the earlier demos. Based on that, and on the progress they've made since this video from Antiquity Echoes that was taken a week and a half ago, we have about another week left, maybe a little longer.
https://www.facebook.c...73901963&ref=sharing
I was planning, in these final days, to cap off Halcyon's existence with a big project. However, it appears that she doesn't want to be disturbed. I was planning on flying my drone through the interior, to get one final look on camera, but I couldn't fly closer than 50 feet without completely losing control of it. I tried a couple of times, but each time I tried to get any closer, it went wobbly, and when it straightened itself back out, it would be both further from the building, and pointing away from it. After the last attempt, I managed to get it back to me, but when I went to land it, it shot right out into the road as if it were possessed, and got totaled. I know when to take a hint, so if I ever manage to put it back together, it's staying far away from Bennett.
https://imgur.com/a/Q14U6EK
Pat, it's nice to know that I'm not the only one dreaming of Halcyon, though it seems our dreams differ somewhat. I have one every week or two, ever since November 2020, when I first visited. Usually it's still ruined, and usually it isn't the focus of the dream. Sometimes it is though, and occasionally it looks brand new, though those tend to be set in the past. I've even had one that felt so real, that it was as if it was a memory. Who knows, though? My dreams tend to be atypical anyways. No singing, Shakespearean, skateboarding giraffes for me.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
pat ratchet wrote:
thanks Felicity for the update. It looks like the Chapel has been demoed? Too bad, seems like they could have maybe saved that, the way they changed plans last minute on Hale House.
As far as 'dreaming' of Halcyon, I suppose I mean it more poetically
or metaphorically, though occasionally I do in fact dream of it, and it is restored, or open again. And I'm always amazed in the dream that it has been preserved, because I know in real life it never could be. So it is sort of dreaming disbelief, and usually makes me aware I am dreaming. Usually one wakes up when one is aware of one's own dream state. But like most dreams, then something like a 3-D wall opens up with giraffes on skateboards singing Shakespeare or whatever, right?
So Dutchess County has dedicated funds to Millbrook's project to establish a scenic park here, to preserve open space. That is good news.
be safe, halcyon people!
As far as 'dreaming' of Halcyon, I suppose I mean it more poetically
or metaphorically, though occasionally I do in fact dream of it, and it is restored, or open again. And I'm always amazed in the dream that it has been preserved, because I know in real life it never could be. So it is sort of dreaming disbelief, and usually makes me aware I am dreaming. Usually one wakes up when one is aware of one's own dream state. But like most dreams, then something like a 3-D wall opens up with giraffes on skateboards singing Shakespeare or whatever, right?
So Dutchess County has dedicated funds to Millbrook's project to establish a scenic park here, to preserve open space. That is good news.
be safe, halcyon people!
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
Iceberg wrote:
Felicity,
Thank you for sharing that update & gallery with us all.
Thank you for sharing that update & gallery with us all.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
wanderer pyepoudre wrote:
i called the library about two weeks ago/ no fallen halcyon show pics of what's going on
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
Happy New Year, Pat. I apologize for my extended absence. School took up much more of my time than I would've liked this semester. I can confirm though, that Halcyon still stands. For now, at least. I'm not sure how much longer that'll be the case though. They were about three-fifths of the way through with Carroll Hall when I stopped by today. The asbestos remediation looks to be complete in all buildings, but I'm not sure whether they'll go for Alumni Hall or Halcyon itself next. I grabbed some pictures while I was there.
https://imgur.com/a/dWaIpQt
If anyone is going to check it out, I'd recommend the utmost precautions. Wear N95 masks, and set your car to recirculate. I know they're spraying it to keep the dust and debris down, but the wind shifted the wrong way while I was grabbing those pictures, and it smelled toxic. I don't even want to know what I breathed in.
I think that the proposal for moving the gazebo to the park would be a wonderful idea. Sure they could restore it and leave it at the school, but what would be the point? It would see far more use at the park anyways, I think. And this time, they can't say that it would be used as a hang out spot for drunks and other ne'er do wells like they did the last time a move was proposed. It is crazy that it takes that much red tape just to fix a gazebo, but I see how it got to this point. They neglected it until it was too hazardous to work on, which seems to be a running theme in the village. Now it's a miniaturized version of the Halcyon situation of years past. Times have certainly changed, that's for sure. I have half a mind, some days, of relocating to Millbrook and attempting to shift the wind's direction back to what it used to be. The other half knows better, and that there's no going back. That's the one I tend to listen to.
Also, when you said "those of us whose dreams are occasionally haunted by this ghost ship wonder", did you actually mean that you dream about Halcyon sometimes? I'm just curious to see what other people's experiences are.
https://imgur.com/a/dWaIpQt
If anyone is going to check it out, I'd recommend the utmost precautions. Wear N95 masks, and set your car to recirculate. I know they're spraying it to keep the dust and debris down, but the wind shifted the wrong way while I was grabbing those pictures, and it smelled toxic. I don't even want to know what I breathed in.
I think that the proposal for moving the gazebo to the park would be a wonderful idea. Sure they could restore it and leave it at the school, but what would be the point? It would see far more use at the park anyways, I think. And this time, they can't say that it would be used as a hang out spot for drunks and other ne'er do wells like they did the last time a move was proposed. It is crazy that it takes that much red tape just to fix a gazebo, but I see how it got to this point. They neglected it until it was too hazardous to work on, which seems to be a running theme in the village. Now it's a miniaturized version of the Halcyon situation of years past. Times have certainly changed, that's for sure. I have half a mind, some days, of relocating to Millbrook and attempting to shift the wind's direction back to what it used to be. The other half knows better, and that there's no going back. That's the one I tend to listen to.
Also, when you said "those of us whose dreams are occasionally haunted by this ghost ship wonder", did you actually mean that you dream about Halcyon sometimes? I'm just curious to see what other people's experiences are.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
pat ratchet wrote:
happy and safe new year to all. Not sure if Bennett is still standing or not, actually. Short of actually going there to see, my guess is it still stands to greet its 127th year gracing South Millbrook. Just not for long.
In somewhat related news, the effort to preserve the James E Ware-designed gazebo in Millbrook has elicited many suggestions for its restoration, the most interesting among them being a loose proposal to relocate it to the site of Halcyon Hall as part of the new park. I think it is a great idea, but will wait and see. It is complicated, owned by the school district, but Friends of the Gazebo are advocating for its maintenance. Others say tear it down, yet others say buy a new gazebo, which misses the entire point by a mile.
Short of restoring and maintaining it on site, it would be a good plan B to incorporate it into Halcyon Park, or whatever the place will be called. Crazy, though, how just to save this modest structure, it has required a whole enchillada of lawyers, surveyors, Board of Ed meetings, public opinion surveys, etc. All to save a gazebo from 1890.
Back in the day, it would have been some locals would buy a case of beer, some lumber and shingles, and go fix the thing up themselves one Saturday. And then they'd probably play a game of baseball after, too.
Different times we live in.
Best New Year's wishes for the Halcyon Hall loving community.
In somewhat related news, the effort to preserve the James E Ware-designed gazebo in Millbrook has elicited many suggestions for its restoration, the most interesting among them being a loose proposal to relocate it to the site of Halcyon Hall as part of the new park. I think it is a great idea, but will wait and see. It is complicated, owned by the school district, but Friends of the Gazebo are advocating for its maintenance. Others say tear it down, yet others say buy a new gazebo, which misses the entire point by a mile.
Short of restoring and maintaining it on site, it would be a good plan B to incorporate it into Halcyon Park, or whatever the place will be called. Crazy, though, how just to save this modest structure, it has required a whole enchillada of lawyers, surveyors, Board of Ed meetings, public opinion surveys, etc. All to save a gazebo from 1890.
Back in the day, it would have been some locals would buy a case of beer, some lumber and shingles, and go fix the thing up themselves one Saturday. And then they'd probably play a game of baseball after, too.
Different times we live in.
Best New Year's wishes for the Halcyon Hall loving community.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
wandererpyepoudre wrote:
the scoop as of today asbestos removal in Bennett but no demo of it when i was there in oct asbestos removal actively in other buildings
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
wandererpyepoudre wrote:
will some nice person post pics of demo cannot get there till next year
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
wandererpyepoudre wrote:
Pat you pretty well covered my observation of the scene one worker told me the old girl goes down next month saw debris being taken out of the tan colored dorms and up behind the Commons demo they really are adamant about keeping LOOKERS out cant even go on the grass- well this will probably be my last year for Millbrook its been an
interesting 36 yr trekk- there is much more to see elsewhere
interesting 36 yr trekk- there is much more to see elsewhere
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
pat ratchet wrote:
greetings all. I was fortunate enough to visit Halcyon this past weekend, with the architect James E Ware's great-great grandson. Just a quick look at the place from the back courtyard, a few photos, and a brief glance about. More fencing, just a bit of debris from the east dorms. But in general it still all looks the same. The phased demo seems to spare the site the chaos we expected, as they take care of the northern section of the parcel first. I am sure that will change in a few months.
There is a presence on site, wouldn't call it security per se, but they are definetly keeping an eye on the place. But as we were just taking a look they didn't seem to care. Had they warned us, it might have been funny to mention that we were the original architect's great-great grandson and his biographer, respectively heh heh...
If it were just another year of reporting how much yet another facade has collapsed and how much, there would be ongoing news. The place is a freakin mess, it's really bad looking. Even the ruinous charm is wearing off, it is just a wreck. To me, still deconstructively interesting, but it is very depressing to see in this state. The place needs the new beginning. But I'll still be sorry to see it go.
There is a presence on site, wouldn't call it security per se, but they are definetly keeping an eye on the place. But as we were just taking a look they didn't seem to care. Had they warned us, it might have been funny to mention that we were the original architect's great-great grandson and his biographer, respectively heh heh...
If it were just another year of reporting how much yet another facade has collapsed and how much, there would be ongoing news. The place is a freakin mess, it's really bad looking. Even the ruinous charm is wearing off, it is just a wreck. To me, still deconstructively interesting, but it is very depressing to see in this state. The place needs the new beginning. But I'll still be sorry to see it go.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
pat ratchet wrote:
Felicity, no worries, happy to be wrong! Halcyon Hall will be the last to come down. Asbestos abatement has been completed on 5 buildings due for teardown, and the brick and steel Science Building is already half demoed. And yes, Hale House is to be saved. It is literally a shell of a house, but still salvageable obviously. Probably still good 'bones' and a good foundation, so why not?
People are wondering why the Chapel has to come down though. It was from the mid-late era of the campus buildings [1927] and is a seperate structure from the main interconnected building. THAT would be the better interpretive center, or in addition to. Maybe there might be some last minute change on that, too? Hale House has been remediated of asbestos. Not sure if the Chapel contains it, different era, different architects. [James E. Ware, unfortunately, was an asbestos proffering madman. Early proponent of fireproofing. In the 1880's that meant asbestos.] I am not aware of the condition of the building. I'd bet it has even better 'bones' though than Hale. It IS quite close to the condominiums, maybe there are issues. It'd be nice to see it survive somehow though, representing the Tudor style, as Hale and Exmoore are all later Colonial Revival style. Alas...
Halcyon is hazardous to the point where workers cannot safely enter to perform asbestos abatement, so in early December the entire structure will be abated as a controlled demolition, in accordance with State laws regarding demo of a structure with asbestos still within. So my fantasy of Halcyon being soaked in thousands of gallons of glow in the dark paint and then exploded at night in a scene worthy of some crazy movie ending- that scenario is pretty definitively out. I'm pretty sure.
And has already been mentioned, all demo on the site is slated to be complete by March 2022, with construction of the park to begin next Spring.
So the work underway now is alot of asbestos abatement. It is also underway in the village at the Thorne Building refurbishment part of the preservation project. As part of the overall plans, I would venture that the work is undoubtedly being done in the safest manner possible, a faith I did not have when the proposal for the site[s] was commercial in nature.
I wrongly assumed Halcyon would be first, just from a PR point of view. An anticipated half year of messy demo without the big one coming down seemed like it might tax people's patience. But to hell with all that, go with what is safest and sensible. My hope is the preservation of Halcyon's stonework, which I continually remind is under State order to be preserved as much as possible.
The obvious section would be the large Southwest porch built in the hillside. The western rampart-like foundations could soften the 'dropoff' that will be there from the courtyard above when the wood sections are gone. And the stone stairway should be saved.
Obviously though the 16 stone chimneys will likely have to come down, perhaps some lower portions might survive, delineating whatever 'terracing' may be contemplated. They might contribute to a 'turreted' look for the site.
So Halcyon gets a short reprieve for those of us whose dreams are occasionally haunted by this ghost ship wonder, from the era of Victoriana.
People are wondering why the Chapel has to come down though. It was from the mid-late era of the campus buildings [1927] and is a seperate structure from the main interconnected building. THAT would be the better interpretive center, or in addition to. Maybe there might be some last minute change on that, too? Hale House has been remediated of asbestos. Not sure if the Chapel contains it, different era, different architects. [James E. Ware, unfortunately, was an asbestos proffering madman. Early proponent of fireproofing. In the 1880's that meant asbestos.] I am not aware of the condition of the building. I'd bet it has even better 'bones' though than Hale. It IS quite close to the condominiums, maybe there are issues. It'd be nice to see it survive somehow though, representing the Tudor style, as Hale and Exmoore are all later Colonial Revival style. Alas...
Halcyon is hazardous to the point where workers cannot safely enter to perform asbestos abatement, so in early December the entire structure will be abated as a controlled demolition, in accordance with State laws regarding demo of a structure with asbestos still within. So my fantasy of Halcyon being soaked in thousands of gallons of glow in the dark paint and then exploded at night in a scene worthy of some crazy movie ending- that scenario is pretty definitively out. I'm pretty sure.
And has already been mentioned, all demo on the site is slated to be complete by March 2022, with construction of the park to begin next Spring.
So the work underway now is alot of asbestos abatement. It is also underway in the village at the Thorne Building refurbishment part of the preservation project. As part of the overall plans, I would venture that the work is undoubtedly being done in the safest manner possible, a faith I did not have when the proposal for the site[s] was commercial in nature.
I wrongly assumed Halcyon would be first, just from a PR point of view. An anticipated half year of messy demo without the big one coming down seemed like it might tax people's patience. But to hell with all that, go with what is safest and sensible. My hope is the preservation of Halcyon's stonework, which I continually remind is under State order to be preserved as much as possible.
The obvious section would be the large Southwest porch built in the hillside. The western rampart-like foundations could soften the 'dropoff' that will be there from the courtyard above when the wood sections are gone. And the stone stairway should be saved.
Obviously though the 16 stone chimneys will likely have to come down, perhaps some lower portions might survive, delineating whatever 'terracing' may be contemplated. They might contribute to a 'turreted' look for the site.
So Halcyon gets a short reprieve for those of us whose dreams are occasionally haunted by this ghost ship wonder, from the era of Victoriana.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
Felicity wrote:
There's been a change of plans at the MCP, it seems. Never before have I been so happy to be wrong.
https://www.theharlemvalleynews.net/?p=59142
They're not going to touch Halcyon until some time in December, and now Hale House will be spared the wrecking ball. They're thinking about using it as a visitor's center. I'm quite happy with that outcome, as the more of Bennett that gets saved, the better. I'm not sure why they're delaying the demo by two months instead of going full speed ahead, but you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, so I'm not going to question it.
https://www.theharlemvalleynews.net/?p=59142
They're not going to touch Halcyon until some time in December, and now Hale House will be spared the wrecking ball. They're thinking about using it as a visitor's center. I'm quite happy with that outcome, as the more of Bennett that gets saved, the better. I'm not sure why they're delaying the demo by two months instead of going full speed ahead, but you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, so I'm not going to question it.
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
wandererpyepoudre wrote:
and the walls of Jericho are really coming down will i see an MT lot keep me up
- Location: Bennett School for Girls
- Gallery: Close Calls
Thanks for the newest update, with the photos & the video link too. Sorry about your drone. Looks like the clock is about to strike midnight on the life of Bennett, at least we'll have the galleries from Motts, from you & if memory serves, I think Pat has shared some photos as well to remember her & the lifespan she had. Like with Grossinger's Resort & many other famous places, this will be a huge loss to the urbex & abandoned places community.