Rome Mayor Demands Urgent Demolition of Fire-Damaged Staley School
Another fire at the abandoned Rome school has renewed concerns over public safety, funding delays and government responsibility.
ROME, N.Y. — The former Staley School demolition must happen immediately, Rome Mayor Jeffrey M. Lanigan said after another fire broke out Monday night at the long-abandoned East Bloomfield Street property. The mayor’s message was direct: The deteriorating building has remained standing for too long, and the danger to firefighters, neighbors and the wider community can no longer be ignored.
“Staley School has got to go,” Lanigan said in announcing his call for the building’s immediate demolition.
The City of Rome said the latest fire occurred Monday evening at the vacant former George R. Staley Elementary School. The city described it as another fire at the property, although officials had not publicly released a verified cause as of Wednesday morning. No confirmed information about injuries or the full extent of the damage was included in the statements reviewed for this article.
The fire has intensified a long-running debate over who will pay to remove the damaged school and how quickly officials can act.
Mayor Says Staley School Presents an Unacceptable Risk
Lanigan is seeking the “immediate demolition” of the building, according to a statement published by the City of Rome. His demand reflects growing concern that the vacant structure could place emergency responders and nearby residents at risk each time firefighters are called to the property.
Abandoned buildings can create several public safety problems:
- Fires can spread before anyone notices them.
- Firefighters may be forced to enter unstable structures.
- Openings in fences, doors or windows may allow unauthorized access.
- Continued weather damage can weaken walls, roofs and floors.
- Nearby residents may face smoke, debris and repeated emergency activity.
Rome officials have not announced a final demolition date. However, Lanigan’s statement places new public pressure on the school district, state agencies and federal officials to find a workable path forward.
The mayor’s argument is simple. Whatever financial or administrative barriers remain, the building’s continued presence has become a public safety issue.
School District Says It Has Pursued Demolition Funding
The Rome City School District responded Tuesday with a detailed community update explaining why the former Staley property remains standing.
According to the district, the building was severely damaged by flooding in 2021 and was later determined to be unusable. Since then, the district has worked with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services on the recovery process.
“The safety of our students, staff, families, neighbors, and the entire Rome community remains our highest priority,” the district said.
The district reported that it formally requested federal consideration of funding that could support demolition.
FEMA Funding Request Was Denied
On Dec. 11, 2024, the district submitted a request to pursue what FEMA calls an Alternate Project. As part of that request, the district asked FEMA to consider providing a demolition grant for the former school.
FEMA later informed the district that:
- An additional grant would not be provided specifically for demolition.
- Funding approved for the Alternate Project could not be redirected toward demolition under federal guidelines.
That federal decision appears to be one of the biggest obstacles preventing the district from quickly removing the building.
The district said it has continued searching for other grants and funding sources since receiving FEMA’s determination.
“We remain committed to identifying the resources needed to move this important work forward as quickly as possible,” the district said.
District Reports New Efforts to Secure the Property
The Rome City School District also said its facilities staff recently inspected the site after learning about possible activity at the building.
According to the district, workers secured an area that had been opened and began taking additional steps to address other possible access points. The district did not identify who may have entered the property or confirm whether unauthorized entry caused the latest fire.
That distinction matters.
Rumors can spread quickly after a fire at an abandoned building. Until investigators release a verified cause, officials and residents should avoid blaming unhoused people, young people or any other group. There is currently no publicly verified evidence reviewed for this article establishing who or what caused Monday night’s fire.
The district said it appreciates the work of the City of Rome, emergency responders and district facilities employees. It also said it shares the community’s desire to see the building safely demolished.
Who Owns Responsibility for the Staley School Demolition?
The dispute is not simply a fight between City Hall and the school district.
The Rome City School District controls the former school property, but demolition requires money, environmental review, professional planning, contractor selection and public accountability. Depending on the condition and age of a building, removal may also require testing and safe handling of hazardous construction materials.
The district’s position is that it has been seeking funding but cannot use its approved FEMA Alternate Project grant for demolition.
The mayor’s position is that the public safety risk has reached a point where additional delay is unacceptable.
Both concerns can be true at the same time.
The district must protect taxpayers and follow federal funding rules. The city must protect residents and emergency responders. Still, the public should not be expected to accept an indefinite delay while an unusable building repeatedly draws emergency attention.
What Should Happen Next?
The most productive response would be a public, time-limited action plan involving the school district, the City of Rome, state officials and New York’s federal representatives.
That plan should clearly identify:
- The estimated cost of demolition
- The building’s present structural condition
- Any environmental testing that has been completed
- Available local, state or federal funding sources
- The agency responsible for each remaining step
- A target date for contractor selection
- A realistic demolition timeline
- Temporary security measures until demolition begins
Residents also deserve to know whether the district has received formal demolition estimates and whether emergency funding may be available following the latest fire.
Transparency will not produce funding by itself, but it can help the public understand where the process is stalled and which officials have the power to move it forward.
Counterargument: Demolition Cannot Happen Overnight
Some residents may agree that the school should come down but argue that the mayor’s call for immediate demolition oversimplifies a difficult process.
That is a fair concern.
Large public buildings cannot usually be torn down safely without inspections, bidding, regulatory approval and secured financing. Rushing demolition could create environmental hazards, legal disputes or added costs for taxpayers.
However, “immediate demolition” does not have to mean knocking the building down without planning. It can mean immediately beginning a transparent emergency process with firm deadlines, assigned responsibilities and guaranteed public updates.
The strongest approach would combine the mayor’s urgency with the district’s duty to follow the law and protect public funds.
Rome Residents Deserve a Clear Timeline
The former Staley School has been unusable since flood damage in 2021. The district requested federal help for demolition in 2024. Another fire was reported at the property in August 2026.
That timeline shows why public frustration is growing.
Rome residents should contact the mayor’s office, the Rome City School District Board of Education and their state and federal representatives. They should ask for a joint public meeting, a full demolition funding plan and regular updates until the building is removed.
The debate should not become a contest over which government office deserves blame. It should remain focused on the people who live near the school and the firefighters who may be asked to respond again.
Lanigan’s statement has placed the issue back before the public. Now city, school, state and federal leaders must turn that urgency into a responsible plan.
The building may belong to the school district, but public safety belongs to the entire community.
