Here's how Taunton wants to redevelop Leonard School. But can it be salvaged?
TAUNTON — “One thing we have in abundance here in Taunton is old buildings,” said City Councilor David Pottier during a discussion of what to do with the former Leonard School building on West Britannia Street.
The city's Chief Financial Officer Patrick Dello Russo said the city's goal is less about making money off the long-vacant city-owned property and more about benefitting the neighborhood.
“Economic development sometimes comes with a cost,” he said at the City Council's Committee on Public Property on March 19 to discuss a request for proposals (RFP) the city plans to release in April.
Mixed use senior housing and market rate
The city is seeking proposals to transform the former school building into a mixture of low-income senior housing, for ages 62 and higher, with market-rate housing units — with a minimum of 25% low-income senior housing units.
“The City is seeking an Offeror to utilize the property in a manner enhancing, benefitting, or supporting the current neighborhood. Proposals should demonstrate experience in senior housing development,” an early draft of the RFP says.
How will the city solve this? Taunton Fire Union sounds alarm on ladder truck staffing
Not looking for the highest bidder
The city's Director of Procurement Andrew Sukeforth said the RFP is placing emphasis on community impact over price, and it is similar to what the city is currently looking for with the Bacon Felt Factory property, which is also undergoing an RFP process for redevelopment.
“The site, located within an urban residential zone, shall be developed so that it is integrated into the fabric of the surrounding area and become part of the neighborhood,” said in the RFP as one of the project’s goals.
Big raises for city employees Taunton CFO got $65K raise without approval from City Council — What does law dept. say?
But is the Leonard School building salvageable?
The Leonard School was built in 1888. The then-Mayor, the late Charles Crowley, ordered the school closed in June 2009 after city officials discovered a weakening roof, a collapsing floor, inadequate fire escapes and asbestos.
The city officially gained control of the property in 2021, and it has been designated as surplus property since.
The building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984.
The RFP is calling for restoration of the Leonard School building, a difficult feat, said Dello Russo, because it leads to the question of can the building be reused?
“Let’s look at what the free market tells us,” Dello Russo said.
Dello Russo said if the RFP doesn’t yield any successful bids, this may need to lead to conversations and “tough decisions” over whether it’s feasible to keep the Leonard building, which he referred to as a “liability” for the city, or if it should be demolished.
Past attempts at development
Back in 2022, the city’s Office of Economic and Community Development wanted to put out a request for proposals to convert undeveloped land behind the Leonard School building into cottage-style condo units. The building itself wasn’t part of this proposal due to the belief it couldn’t be restored.
Neighbors opposed the proposal, voicing concerns that the condos would impact their neighborhood with excess motor vehicle traffic, backyard flooding and a loss of privacy caused by woodlands removal to accommodate development.
As a result of this opposition, The City Council in August 2023 approved protecting this undeveloped land by designating it open space.
The Council also approved a request for an easement to create a 100-foot long pathway to connect Leonard School’s property to a parking lot near the open space parcel. This was done as a necessity in the event a potential residential development proposal were to be approved by the city.
'High hopes' building can be restored
Input from Councilors responding to the RFP was positive.
Councilor Phillip Duarte said “If it can be restored, it should be,” and “It makes sense to try” and get bids for restoration.
Councilor Scott Martin agreed, saying he’s glad the focus of the RFP is on “how it will impact the neighbors and community, instead of focusing on dollars.”
Councilor Estele Borges said she recalled touring the site and building with multiple developers in the past. She said while all of them had reasons for not taking on redeveloping the building, “I don’t think any of them said it couldn’t be restored. I have high hopes.”
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Can Leonard School building be saved? What's plan for redevelopment?
