The Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home will undergo a $4 million make-over that will require residents to vacate the building while much of it is demolished and rebuilt.

Architect Kurt Ofer presented the project to the village planning board Tuesday afternoon and was greeted with an enthusiastic response from members.

Ofer explained that there are some significant infrastructural deficiencies in the current facility and that the rear, or western, portion will be stripped away, back to the original two Main and Brooks buildings. A new "historically sympathetic" addition be constructed behind the original buildings which will be renovated as part of the project.

"We are adapting the current look to the addition," he said. "From the front the building will look just the same except without the aluminum siding, which is good."

The facility currently has two dozen residential units and the reconstruction project will add only two more. According to Ofer, more units would trigger new Department of Health rules and regulations.

David Sanford, general manager of the Leatherstocking Corporation, accompanied Ofer to the meeting and said that they did not anticipate any large change in the number of staff which fluctuates with the number of residents.

Because of the extensive nature of the project, residents will have to vacate the facility while the construction is going on.

Sanford said the board of directors has not yet approved the idea, but the solution being looked at right now is housing residents in the Otesaga Hotel.

The construction is anticipated to take approximately ten and a half months and Ofer said they hope to begin sometime in the middle to end of summer next year.

One hurdle that has to be cleared is a variance from the height restrictions in the R3 zone. The original buildings which will be retained are 45 feet high and are already above the maximum. The new addition being proposed would be 41 feet high.

Planners did express some concerns about the exterior water chiller unit used for the heating and air conditioning system that would be installed in the corner of the property along Route 80. The unit would be placed partially below grade and surrounded by a planting of conifers in an effort to muffler, or diminish the noise as much as possible. "We know it won't be noiseless," Ofer said.

Planning board chairman Paul Kuhn questioned the choice of aluminum clad replacement windows, particularly after all the aluminum siding is removed and to be replaced with cedar clapboard.

"It's our one concession to the 21st century," Ofer said. It truly does decrease the maintenance cost of the building."

The architect also said that from 10 feet away a person could not tell the difference between wood and the aluminum clad windows.

The planning board will hold a public hearing on the proposal during it next regular meeting, Tues., Dec. 11, at 4:30 p.m. In the meantime, Ofer said he plans to go before the zoning board of appeals to begin the process of applying for a height variance.

Copies of the application materials are on file in the village clerk's office where they may be reviewed.