CHESHIRE, Mass. — The Historical Commission is hoping the town can save the Masonic Lodge on Church Street.

 

"We are kind of the advocates for old in Cheshire and we wanted to be advocates for the Masonic Hall," commission member Diane Hitter told the Selectmen on Tuesday. "It is an absolute treasure in this town … and we wanted to ask if there was some way that this town could save that building."

 

The building at 116-120 Church St., listed by Steepleview Realty, has been on the market for almost a year and the price has dropped to $49,000.

 

The listing said the building will be sold as is and has been affiliated with the Masons for over 100 years. The Upton Lodge of Masons was chartered in 1869.

 

Hitter said the upper floors where the Mason lodge was housed is like a museum.

 

"Upstairs is an absolute treasure as far as the Masonic history in the United States is concerned it is appointed perfect," she said. "The room itself up there is a museum." 

 

Selectwoman Carol Francesconi said her grandfather used to be the janitor in the building and said that the lodge is far more beautiful than the outside of the building of the three-story structure. The only hint it was a lodge is the Mason's symbol on the exterior.

 

"It is amazing what is up there because when you look at the outside of the building it looks like a dump and then you go upstairs and you can’t believe what is up there," she said. "It’s beautiful."

 

The building has two active businesses, a hair salon and an art studio, on the ground floor. The upper two floors contain the lodge and a kitchen.

 

Hitter said the Historical Commission would like to use the lodge as its headquarters and perhaps establish a museum to display some of their artifacts to the public. She said it would free up room for Town Hall storage in the upper levels of the police station, where the Historical Commission now meets.

 

Selectman Robert Ciskowski, who also serves on the Master Plan Committee, said those who participated in the Master Plan survey were focused on having a more lively and developed town center. He said the Masonic Temple could be a part of that.

 

"The center of the village is a big concern with the people that responded to the master plan," he said. "People want to see the village thrive and that building is centrally located."

 

He said he would bring up the building to the Master Plan Committee.

 

Hitter asked if the town could somehow cease the sale of the building because they want to have it listed on the historical registry.

 

Selectman Paul Astorino said the town does not have the power to do that and if they wanted to buy it outright it would have to go to town meeting, which is four months away.

 

He said they could get the purchase on the town meeting warrant via citizen's petition but said the building might be sold by town meeting.

 

Francesconi said the group could start a crowdfunding campaign to try to raise the funds.

 

Astorino said he would run the concept by Town Administrator Mark Webber to see if he knew of any available grants that could aid in a purchase.

 

"We can ask him to shake the bushes see if there is anything out there," he said.