Swanzey methadone clinic pulls site plans for Keene property
Apr. 16—A Swanzey substance-use treatment clinic has withdrawn its site plan application for a property in Keene, according to the city planning board's latest agenda.
Plans called for Keene Metro Clinic, which opened in 2006 and is currently at 1076 West Swanzey Road, to renovate and move into an existing building at 152 Davis St.
According to city property records, the for-profit clinic's parent company purchased the property — which previously served as a commercial office building and martial arts school/studio — in late October.
Megan Fortson, a planning technician with the city, said Friday the office isn't sure why the clinic withdrew its application.
Bradley Hazelwood, project manager for Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc., wrote a one-sentence letter to the city dated April 9 only saying the site plan had been withdrawn.
The property, though, is newly listed for sale with RE/MAX Town and Country with an asking price of $299,000. Robert J. Inman, the real estate agent, said RE/MAX posted the listing Friday morning because the clinic had not received approval from the planning board.
A staff member who answered the phone at the clinic Friday referred a reporter to its parent company, Florida-based Colonial Management Group LP, which did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment and asking whether the company still plans to move to Keene.
Before moving to Davis Street, the clinic needed to secure a lighting waiver from Keene's planning board, as some of the proposed new lighting in the parking lot and on the building itself would have gone past property lines into the parking lots of New England Fabrics and The Mills of Keene apartment building, as well as onto a portion of the Cheshire Rail Trail.
The clinic presented its plan to the board late last month, but board members said they were concerned about increased traffic in an already congested section of town, as well as a lack of adequate parking.
Because of this, the board said the clinic needed to conduct a traffic study before finishing the public hearing, which was supposed to reconvene Monday, April 26.
The clinic serves people with substance-use disorders who live in Keene, Swanzey, Marlborough, Winchester, Hinsdale, Richmond and Brattleboro, as well as Orange and Athol, Mass.
One of the clinic's services is its medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program, which administers methadone and Suboxone — medications that treat opioid addiction. The medication is often coupled with counseling and behavioral therapies.
The clinic also offers group and one-on-one counseling, according to its website.
Sentinel staff writer Caleb Symons contributed to this report.
Olivia Belanger can be reached at 352-1234, extension 1439, or obelanger@keenesentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBelangerKS.
