OBSERVER Photo by Christopher Blakeslee The Jamestown Community College Annex, formerly School 7, is pictured.

Jamestown Community College is looking to sell one of its buildings after the state has stopped them from demolishing it.

Kathleen Dennison with Jamestown Community College virtually attended the Chautauqua County Planning Board and discussed the Annex Building. According to Dennison, back in 2012, the college was given permission and funding from the county to demolish the Annex Building, which used to be the old School 7. It sits across the street from the college between Falconer Street and East Second St.

The roof is apparently leaking.

“It has a lot of structural issues. To get it repaired and able to be used by the college, it would be very expensive,” Dennison said.

The demolition was expected to cost $350,000. Chautauqua County agreed to give JCC $87,500, the required 25%.

Dennison, who is relatively new with Jamestown Community College, said she doesn’t know why the building wasn’t demolished after receiving approval 12 years ago.

However, when the college recently attempted to move forward with the demolition, Dennison said the state Office of Historical Preservation opposed the plan.

“It is unlikely that we will ever be given approval to demolish it,” she said.

Because of this, Dennison requested permission from the county Planning Board to redirect the funds it was given for demolition and instead use them to cover their costs for asbestos abatement.

“We can accomplish the abatement with the (demolition) budget that exists,” she said.

Dennison also said JCC would like permission to explore selling the property.

“Renovating it for our use would be prohibitively expensive. … Our kind of fall back position is to put the property up for sale,” she said.

Dennison called the property a “money pit” because the college isn’t using it, but must heat it in the winter and get the elevator inspected.

Dennison said asbestos abatement is required whether the college sells it or demolishes it.

The JCC Board of Directors has given its approval for the property to be sold. Dennison said the county Planning Board needs to give its approval as well.

According to Dennison, a Christian school has toured the property and may be interested once the asbestos is removed.

If they aren’t interested, Planning Board members said it could be converted into housing. Rebecca Wurster with the county Planning Department said a developer could buy it and seek historic tax credits to get it remodeled.

The county Planning Board approved both the request for JCC to use the demolition money for asbestos abatement and for JCC to explore selling the property.

In November, JCC President Daniel DeMarte said at the county legislature meeting that the Annex building was being considered for sale.