Sandy Horowitz and I proposed restoring the Gingerbread House back in 2004 when RPI published an RFP to move it or tear it down.

This was the response from RPI’s Barbara Nelson to us and to Dean Alan Balfour, dated February 27, 2004.

“Thank you for submitting your proposals to restore the Warren Gate House. We are encouraged by the caliber of both proposals.

“Returning the building to its original location on Congress Street has been Rensselaer’s objective for several years now, and we are pleased to see a revitalization of that effort. We ask that Sandy Horowitz, Don Rittner, and the Friends of Prospect Park Association develop their proposal further and submit details for our review. We also offer that Rensselaer will fund up to $25,000 of the actual relocation cost.

“Should the relocation project prove infeasible, then the building will be used to support the School of Architecture’s space needs for the Conservation Master’s Program. We are pleased to have this excellent fallback plan to ensure the building will not be demolished.

“In either case, it cannot remain at its current location past July 2004. Utilities work related to the Institute’s electrical substations is necessary in the lands surrounding and under the house. If assigned to the School of Architecture, it will be moved up College Avenue, closer to Academy Hall.

“We are hopeful that the Conservation Master’s Program will be a resource to Mr. Horowitz’s restoration team. Should relocation to the........

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