Sound film pioneer's NY mansion OK for vets' home

Associated Press

AUBURN, N.Y. (AP) — A nonprofit organization in central New York has been given approval to turn a sound film pioneer's former mansion into a shelter for homeless veterans.

The Citizen of Auburn (http://bit.ly/HclWhg ) reports that the Auburn city Zoning Board of Appeals on Monday voted to approve a request by Ministro Ministries to use the historic Case Mansion as a homeless shelter, youth center and vocational culinary training center.

The housing plan had been opposed by some residents living near the 81-year-old mansion.

The 36,000-square-foot Case Mansion was the former home of Theodore Case, the Auburn scientist who invented the technology for talking movies in the 1920s. The mansion is owned by the First Presbyterian Church of Auburn, which is leasing the property to the founder of the local nonprofit organization.

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Information from: The Citizen, http://www.auburnpub.com