Letters: Discussion Needed on Youth Center Sale

To the Editor:

On March 30, 1966, a group of Williamstown's forefathers, James Drummond, Morris Phelps, Filmore Baker and John Denelli, acting as the Williamstown Board of Selectmen, granted a former town-owned school building located on Cole Avenue to the Williamstown Boys Club, aka, the Williamstown Youth Center. However, "The premises hereby conveyed are restricted to use for the purposes of a boys' club."

When the Williamstown Youth Center, a private, non-profit vacated and abandoned the building and land located at 270 Cole Ave. last year, did the building legally revert back to the town of Williamstown?
 
On Feb. 11, 2013, the current Board of Selectmen for the town of Williamstown, scheduled an "emergency" special town meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, at 7 p.m. using the absolutely minimum legal notification time frame in order to vote to remove the 1956 deed restriction and grant the youth center the right to sell what otherwise may be a town-owned building on Cole Avenue.

Ken Swiatek
Williamstown
Feb. 25, 2013

Williamstown Board Opts to Negotiate with College on Water St. Lot

By Stephen DravisiBerkshires Staff
05:04AM / Tuesday, June 09, 2026

Newly elected board member Nate Budington, far left, participates in his first in-person meeting along with, from left, Matt Neely, Stephanie Boyd, Peter Beck, Shana Dixon and Town Manager Robert Menicocci.

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Select Board on Monday decided to enter into negotiations with Williams College on the sale of the vacant town-owned lot at 59 Water St.

 

But the board members made it clear that the college's proposal to acquire the lot is a starting point, not a final deal that the elected officials would accept.

 

"For the sake of continued conversation, I'm in favor of [awarding Williams the site], but if this process wasn't continued with the opportunity for further negotiation, I wouldn't vote to continue this," Peter Beck said. "I think that next step is necessary for us to get to a yes on this."

 

"I think there's wide agreement on that," Matthew Neely said just before the 5-0 vote to enter talks with the college.

 

Williams was the sole respondent to a town-issued request for proposals to develop the former town garage site, currently a dirt lot.

 

The college's stated intent is to build a new Facilities office and create up to 170 parking spaces at 59 Water Street. That use will allow the college to redevelop the current Facilities building site and parking lot as part of a reconception of the school's indoor athletic and recreation facilities.

 

Under the terms of the RFP, the college's proposal was subjected to review by an ad hoc advisory committee to the town manager, who brought the question to the Select Board. That board will have the final say on any purchase and sales agreement.