Neighbors, preservation groups and condo advocates press county to choose Franklin adaptive‑reuse plan

A steady stream of residents, civic-association leaders and housing advocates told the Tompkins County Legislature they favored the Franklin/Stream Collaborative plan to repurpose the old library building, arguing reuse reduces greenhouse-gas emissions and preserves neighborhood character while providing some for‑sale condo opportunities.

"I support the Stream Franklin proposal," said Adam Law, a downtown medical-practice owner, summarizing a common theme among speakers that the Franklin plan "nurtures and enhances the local community" and causes less disruption than demolition and new construction. John Graves, president of the South Hill Civic Association, told the body the Franklin plan is "the most environmentally responsible of the 3," and several speakers from the DeWitt Park neighborhood emphasized the importance of preserving scale, trees and public space.

Speakers also pressed the county to consider the needs of Lifelong, a senior-services nonprofit that figured prominently in debate about which proposal would best ensure the organization's long-term viability. While many commenters supported Franklin as the neighborhood-preferred solution, others and some Lifelong representatives argued different proposals better addressed Lifelong's financial and programmatic needs.

The public-comment portion drew an unusually large turnout and a flurry of emailed input in recent weeks; Chair Michael Lane said more than 20 blue cards had been submitted and noted the hearing could run more than an hour. The volume and intensity of public testimony became a central part of the chamber's later deliberations.