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Dr. Chris Colloca, who is the founder and CEO of Colloca Estate Winery, told мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼ Wednesday that work already began on the first phase of the project. This includes restoring utilities at the school, installing lighting and a security system. 

Classrooms will become hotel rooms — Colloca says the hotel will have 50 to 60 rooms — and other parts of the school will be developed into meeting space for guests. He envisions turning the school's gymnasium into a ballroom that can be used for events. 

The hotel portion of the project, Colloca explained, would provide more options for visitors to the village of Aurora. He views it as a potential alternative to the Inns of Aurora, which has six properties in the lakefront village. 

"Accommodations are one of Cayuga County's great needs at this time," he said. 

The winery cooperative is a concept that Colloca hasn't seen in New York, but he said they are common in Oregon. Through the cooperative, there would be space available for budding vintners to make, bottle and store their wines. The wines would be sold in the cooperative's tasting room. 

Colloca wants to collaborate with Cornell University and the New York State Wine and Grape Foundation to host training sessions and allow students to train at the cooperative. His goal is to establish a "winery think tank" where aspiring winemakers can learn about all facets of the industry. 

One goal is for the cooperative to be a woman-led initiative in honor of Emily Howland, a women's rights activist for whom the school is named. 

"I'd like to have some tribute, some type of theme that is women's empowerment and what (Howland) did," Colloca said. "We're near Sherwood (where Howland was born). I think we can do something with the legacy and build on that as well." 

The former school was part of the Southern Cayuga Central School District until 2012, when it closed. It has been vandalized over the years and is dilapidated. 

In 2022, a public auction was held to sell the 15.62-acre property. Colloca was the winning bidder. County records show he paid $160,200 to buy the school. 

To support Colloca's plan to renovate the school, the town of Scipio is applying for a $1 million grant through the Restore NY Communities Initiative. The program assists municipalities with the rehabilitation of commercial and residential properties. 

Colloca committed to covering the town's required match if the state awards the funding. The town must provide at least a 10% match to receive the grant. 

If the grant is awarded, Colloca anticipates the major renovations will begin immediately. 

"I think it can be really good for the community," he said. "We take a dilapidated building and get it renovated so it's not an eyesore."