Framingham Councilors Say No To Perini Building Purchase

FRAMINGHAM, MA — A Framingham City Council subcommittee on Tuesday recommended not moving forward with Mayor Yvonne Spicer's plan to buy the Perini building for $13 million — an idea proposed just before the coronavirus crisis began.

The finance subcommittee voted unanimously not to move forward with the purchase. The committee was charged with reviewing the idea and making a recommendation to the full City Council whether to move ahead.

Spicer formally unveiled her plan for the purchase in January, aiming to free up space at the Memorial Building. According to the deal, Framingham would pay $12.95 million for the 105,000 square-foot building along Mt. Wayte Avenue. Most city offices at the Memorial Building would move there, including the mayor's office. The city would borrow about $9.3 million and use about $3.2 million in existing funds for the purchase.

Councilor Adam Steiner, who chairs the finance subcommittee, said the purchase no longer makes sense because of coronavirus. The pandemic will likely take a hefty toll on city finances due to a downturn in local tax revenue, and possible state-level budget cuts. It's also possible the crisis could drive the purchase price of the building down a little, he said.

The city is now looking at moving ahead with a three-year lease at the building for the school department. The department's leases at Perini expired on Jan. 31. The school department has a temporary lease arrangement with the Perini owners that expires in June.

More on the Perini building:

• Perini Building Purchase Moves Ahead, With Plenty Of Questions
• Framingham Schools Lease At Perini Extended, Officials Say
• Framingham Officials Meet Privately Over Perini Building Issues