Fordham residents are hoping that community organizations create a unified plan for a youth center at the old Fordham Library within the month, as the city eyes the contaminated building for a possible animal shelter.

Two community organizations, the Sistas and Brothas United (SBU) and Community Action Unlimited (CAU), maintain they are working together to form a plan for a youth center in the 27,400 square foot building that has been closed since 2005.

“Once they form a plan, we’ll get behind it and put it in our capital needs for the 2010 fiscal year,” said Gregory Faulkner, the chairman of Community Board 7. “But if the neighborhood groups are divided, they won’t be effective.”

Over the past year, both groups have held rallies and meetings to discuss the fate of the building, built in 1923. But the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has been considering the building for a 15,000-20,000 square foot animal shelter for the “last couple of months,” according to Richard Gentles, the director of administrative services at New York Animal Care and Control, the non-profit organization that runs animal shelters.

Community leaders are against the former library becoming an animal shelter. Though SBU spokesman Jorman Nunez was not aware of the department’s inquiry, both Faulkner and Rev. Fernando Cabrera, the leader of CAU and pastor at the New Life Outreach International Church, agree that a youth center is more important than an animal shelter.

“We don’t hate animals, but there is an absolute need for youth programming,” Faulkner said. “We have two of the most expensive projects going on right now, with the filtration plant and the armory, and our kids can’t get jobs.”

Both organizations are also pushing for increased political support, as Cabrera says he has sent 10,000 signatures from a coalition of 50 Bronx pastors to Assemblyman Jose Rivera, while SBU has sent 5,000. City Councilmen Joel Rivera and Robert Jackson have also supported the youth center plan.

Youth programs are severely lacking in the Bronx. A study by the Bronx borough president’s office in 2007 found that 71 Bronx high schools have no after-school programs; and that without after-school programs, youth are 50 percent more likely to do drugs, 37 percent more likely to become teenage parents and 27 percent more likely to be arrested. In addition, the 2009 city budget slashed 28 percent of funding from the Department of Youth and Community Development.

“There are nowhere near enough services for all the youth,” Nunez said. Census data for Fordham zip code 10458 shows that 40 percent of the residents are under 21. “Youth services are almost nonexistent in Fordham,” he added.

SBU, the youth arm of the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, has been spearheading community visioning sessions since last May. SBU has met with Mosholu Montefiore Community Center, churches, Good Shepherd and the Fordham-Bedford Housing Corporation to get their opinions and input.

SBU has also been working with Fordham University and City College to create architectural plans for renovating the library. Their plans include an auditorium, a job training center, recreation space, a health clinic, a senior center, and a music and journalism studio.

CAU’s plans are less detailed, but Cabrera’s church serves about 100 youth per week with tutoring, job placement, HIV peer groups and dance classes. Similar programs could be offered at the youth center. “The youth center would serve the educational, emotional and recreational needs for youth,” Cabrera said.

Two years ago, SBU tried to acquire the library for its school, the Leadership Institute. But an environmental study ordered by the School Construction Authority found that the library was contaminated with Tetrachlorethelyne (PERC), a manufactured chemical used for dry cleaning and degreasing metal. And now, the city cannot figure out how to clean up the mess.

The Norwood News reported last May that the New York Public Library (NYPL), which operates the city-owned building, filed a request to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to decontaminate the site. The NYPL could neither confirm nor clarify the decontamination request by press time.

The DEC could only confirm that there is a “spill” on the site, but could not locate details by press time. NYPL Spokeswoman Gayle Snidle said the “spill” refers to a leaking oil tank in the basement.

Arturo Garcia-Costas, the DEC public affairs manager, declined to give a timeline on decontamination without knowing which chemicals or their amount. In addition, the New York Times reported in August that there is asbestos in the floor tiles, which would be cleaned up by the city Department of Environmental Protection.

Currently, the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) is in discussion with the NYPL to transfer the building to another city department, which could in turn sell it to a developer. There is no timeline for choosing the new department, and Mark Daly, the DCAS director of communications, did not know which agencies were considering the building. When asked who is responsible for following up on the decontamination, Daly said, “I don’t know.”

Community leaders’ biggest fear is that a developer will snatch up the property and convert it into retail space. “We want the process to be controlled by the community,” said Nunez.

Faulkner remains hopeful that the two organizations can hash out a plan in the near future. “If we use our elected officials, hopefully we can get a community vision done within the next two weeks,” Faulkner said. “We cannot have another summer of youths getting killed.”