Adams May Seek Grant Funds For Memorial Building
ADAMS, Mass. — The town may apply for Community Development Block Grant funds to install an HVAC system at the Memorial Building.
Community Development Director and interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan recommended at the Selectmen's workshop meeting last Wednesday that the town aim potential CDBG funds at the now-closed middle school.
"It is that time of year again ... and there is a lot of competing projects, but I would propose to the board that this is the year to focus on Memorial School," Cesan said. "It's hard to turn your back on the building when it is such as amazing asset."
The school has been a controversial subject since it closed some years ago. The school used CDBG funds to replace the roof with hopes of selling or leasing the building, however, with all potential buyers backing out, the town has been left with a large, empty building.
The gymnasium sees minimal use and the town has allocated funds to continue minimal maintenance.
Some residents are against pumping any more money into the building and believe it should either be mothballed or given away.
Cesan said the town cannot receive more than $1.35 million in two successive years from the grant. Last year, Adams secured $800,000 for the Visitors Center parking lot project so this year it can only apply for up to $550,000.
"Some of it is the way they are doing the formula this year, some of it is gut and it just feels like the right time," she said. "I know the Memorial School has been controversial but there is a lot of opportunity there."
Cesan added that the town no longer has to focus on "target areas" and that it will automatically get 10 points because of the low-income population rate of 57.8 percent.
She added that there was recently some private interest in the building.
"It is preliminary, and they asked to keep it quiet at this point," she said. "Who knows where this is going but there is an interest."
Cesan said this particular developer is interested in market-rate housing instead of the subsidized affordable housing that was proposed in the past.
"That is music to my ears because I think it is good for the tax base and it puts feet on the streets," she said.
She said although the local perspective is that the building is in rough shape, the interested party thought it was sin incredible shape.
Cesan said the heating, air conditioning and ventilation system is the missing link and it will not only encourage developers but help shape the town's vision for the building – a true community center.
"Getting the HVAC in place would make the building useful to the public. We also identified the building as our emergency shelter, so it needs an HVAC system," Cesan said. "We have identified this as the best place for voting so it needs to have an HVAC."
She added that the auditorium could be used for town meeting and the gym is large enough to hold two regulation basketball games at the same time. She said Berkshire Arts & Technology Public Charter School and other town leagues constantly ask to use the facility and the HVAC would make this possible.
The town could also bring back the holiday indoor farmers market and the building would be an asset to the Council on Aging.
Cesan noted that the town is trying to brand itself as the recreational capital of the Berkshires, however, it is lacking areas where indoor recreation can take place.
"We need good indoor recreation," she said. "We have the mountain, we have the trails and we have the bike trails but we are limited in terms of good indoor recreation."
The Selectmen were hesitant to comment on the recommendation and Chairman John Duval said they would discuss it at a future meeting.
Selectwoman Christine Hoyt was the only board member to show immediate support for the project.
"I have always thought Memorial was important," she said. "It anchors our downtown and I wanted to see something done there for some time and I do think now is the right time."
Tags: Adams Memorial Middle School, CDBG, school reuse,
