Manchester aldermen expect to receive additional details next month on a potential use for the former Hallsville School.
Over the summer, the Aldermanic Committee on Lands and Buildings requested the Parks and Recreation Department provide information on the viability and associated costs of reusing Hallsville School as a community center, with space potentially occupied by Parks and Rec, the city’s Office of Youth Services (OYS) and community partners.
Mark Gomez, the city’s chief of Parks, Recreation and Cemetery, was given $5,000 to pay for the services of a licensed professional architect, Fred Matuszewski of Matuszewski Architects in Bedford.
Matuszewski estimates the plan would require nearly $5 million in upgrades and $100,000 in annual maintenance costs.
“The proposed reuse would significantly bolster the ability of Parks & Rec, Youth Services, and the local nonprofits with whom we have a working relationship, to accomplish our respective missions and better serve the Manchester community,” Gomez wrote in a memo to aldermen.
Project totals include a construction manager’s general conditions and fee, along with a design fee. The estimates don’t include tenant furniture, fixtures and equipment.
During a meeting of the Aldermanic Committee on Lands and Buildings last week, Alderman At Large June Trisciani revealed that Ed Baroody, a local businessman, has expressed an interest in partnering in the community center project.
“I think something from an interested community member would certainly be something I would be interested in hearing about,” Alderman Christine Fajardo said. She mentioned the importance of trying to preserve the actual building.
“I’m just trying to think about some of the things that were raised at the community meeting where (people were) very explicit in saying to try and preserve the building and also keep in mind the footprint within the community,” Fajardo said.
Gomez said talks at this point are in very preliminary stages.
“The proposal that’s been assessed by Matuszewski and what we’ve been discussing involves the Office of Youth Services occupying the second floor and having office space there as well as an intake room, and a case management room. Both Parks and Rec and OYS have a desire for a computer room or multiple computer rooms for kids.”
Alderman At Large Joe Kelly Levasseur asked if Baroody is looking to own the building and collect rent from occupants, or if this would be a “city-owned” building.
“Are we giving him exclusivity on the option of purchasing this building?” asked Levasseur. “I don’t know if we need another RFP or if this is the normal process.”
Gomez said that’s yet to be determined.
“The conversations are very much in the opening phase at this point,” said Gomez. “Whatever arrangement might be worked out and what the process is for that to be worked out is to be determined.”
Levasseur asked if the city would be on the hook for insurance costs if the school gym remained available for use by the community. Trisciani said that’s one of many items under discussion.
“You shouldn’t be discussing these types of things behind this board’s back,” Levasseur said.
“I don’t think that happened,” board Chairman Pat Long responded.
“I don’t know what negotiations were going on, she seems to know a hell of a lot more than this board does,” Levasseur shot back.
Levasseur was assured by committee members they were not taking a vote to give Baroody exclusive access to the property.
“We’re asking for time to put a proposal together,” Trisciani said.
Aldermen voted to have Baroody and Gomez come back to the committee with more details on the proposal at their Jan. 16 meeting.
Hallsville School was an elementary school that served the neighborhood from its construction in 1891 to its closing in June 2021.
Aldermen hit the reset button on discussions about the future of the former school earlier this year after plans to convert the vacant building into a mixed-use community center were scrapped.
A proposal from Southern New Hampshire Services and Granite State Children’s Alliance was withdrawn because of inadequate funding.
Matuszewski estimates repurposing the building for a community center would require $3,529,000 in construction costs, including:
• $1,075,000 in upgrades to the building’s envelope, including replacing the roof, masonry cleaning, window replacement and exterior painting.
• $1,495,000 in building system upgrades.
• $959,000 in total building interior finish costs.
Add in $722,000 in construction manager costs and $353,000 in architectural fees and the total estimated cost for the project comes in at $4,604,000.
The estimates are provided for information purposes only to help aldermen determine the best course of action regarding the future of the former school.
