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Board members of The Tara Circle, an Irish cultural organization in Yonkers, voted in the fall of 2012 to seek offers on its Alder Manor estate. The nonprofit bought the manor at 1097 N. Broadway for $1.2 million from the City of Yonkers in 2004.
While the organization hasn't received any written offers, unofficial proposals have ranged up to $7.5 million, said James Rice, chairman of The Tara Circle.
"A reason we're looking to sell is because of its size," said Rice. "There has been times where board members have been out in the front lawn trimming hedges, it's just that much work. We are not looking for a certain figure to sell, rather just to someone who is serious, and who is going to really take care of it."
The manor was built in the early 1900s by mining tycoon William Boyce Thompson. It has 6-acres of property, and a total of about 80,000-square-feet in its two buildings.
The amount of time needed to maintain the manor’s sheer size, while focusing on the groups' mission has proved to be difficult, said Rice.
"When we first moved in over 10 years ago we spent a lot of money, and even more time fixing the place up," said Rice. "The buildings didn't have any heat or hot water, and there wasn't any electric wires. Further, the walls were a mess, and so was the roof. And even with all of the repairs we did, there is still a lot more work to be done.”
If The Tara Circle is successful in selling the manor, it will look to relocate somewhere nearby in Yonkers because of the city's large Irish-American population, said Rice.
"We love working with Yonkers’ large Irish community, and want to focus our efforts on cultural programs that will really be a benefit because of it," said Rice. "We have a lot of volunteers and we would love to help put them all in classes. Also, we would love to start giving out more scholarships to students. In the end, we want to give back to the community in a bigger way than we are now."
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