Adams Looking To Sell Community Center
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The town has been looking to get rid of the East Street property for the last two years. |
ADAMS, Mass. — The town is looking to sell the Community Center.
The East Street building has fallen into disrepair and in the last year, the organizations operating there have found other locations.
The Council on Aging has moved to the Adams Visitors Center and the Youth Center is currently in negotiations to lease the vacant middle school.
With the property eyed to be vacant soon, town officials are putting together a request for proposals to sell the two-parcel property.
"I think we're in a position to roll out a plan to get it off of our hands," Town Administrator Jonathan Butler said on Wednesday when he asked the Selectmen to weigh in on the details of the request.
The property consists of a total 5.7 acres — 4.4 in one parcel and 1.3 in the other — and has been used for multiple purposes in the past.
The property had a mansion on it, which later burned down; it was used as a private school and a rest home for the Catholic diocese before the town had taken it for the Youth Center. The property once had as many as four buildings on it but is now down to just one.
But the town doesn't want to just sell it to anyone. They are asking for proposals for its next usage and will have a selection committee review the ideas before the property is sold.
"They should be giving us some kind of conceptual plan," Community Development Director Donna Cesan said.
Cesan said she would like to ask developers to enact their plan within three years; set a minimum price, which would be based on a professional appraisal; and a financial analysis showing the buyer has the money to finish the project.
However, Cesan said she wants to keep the proposals open enough so that they do not discourage prospective buyers.
The Selectmen agreed with asking developers to prove they have the financial wherewithal, citing other properties that have sat dormant after a sale because the owners have not secured funding. They also suggested the possibility of requiring bidders to put a set amount down on the purchase upon being awarded the bid.
"We don't want somebody with grand ideas but no idea where the money is going to come from," Chairman Arthur "Skip" Harrington said.
The board did not support setting a mandatory timeframe for the project to be competed but instead have that only be a factor to be considered. Price will also be a factor and the Selectmen hope that would breed competition among the bidders.
"It's not on a main street, it is vacant. As long as we are getting tax revenues, I'm happy," Harrington said.
The building and land will be sold "as is" but demolition of the Community Center is likely.
"It would be a tough start to get that building up to code," Butler said.
Cesan said the town should have the appraisal back in the next few weeks and hopes to issue the RFP in May. Town meeting would than have to approve the deal once the town has chosen a winning proposal.
"It's not a bad piece of property," Selectman Michael Ouellette said, adding an array of usages he could envision for it.
Butler said at least two local real estate companies have already shown interest in the land.
Tags: community center, Real Estate, town property,
