Panel to Consider Town's Purchase of 80 Acres

A group will meet to examine the prospect of the town of Hamilton buying the 80-acre “Pirie property” on Bay Road.

The town government has the “right of first refusal on the property” and it is for sale. Some town leaders, including Selectman Jeff Stinson, think it is a good spot for a new high school.

Stinson told the Hamilton Board of Selectmen last week that he thinks that it would be a good location for a new high school. If a new high school is built on the property, and the existing high school is used for a new elementary school, it could free up downtown property for senior housing - a need that town leaders have identified as being in short supply in Hamilton.

The Cutler and Winthrop properties could be sold for a "considerable amount," with the sale of those properties, plus the tax revenue from any redevelopment of both sites, could cover the purchase price of the Pirie property.

The property has enough room for athletic fields and a pool, he said.

The board agreed that considering purchase of the property makes sense and has 120 days to make a decision. The board has convened the Pirie Property Review Committee, which will meet for the first time on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. at Hamilton Town Hall.

"For us to not give this a long, hard look we would really be remiss," Selectmen Jennifer Scuteri said.

If the Board of Selectmen recommends purchase of the property, it would go before voters at Town Meeting. It would require a special town meeting, since no recommendation would be made in time for April's Annual Town Meeting.

The property at 641 Bay Road is listed for $4 million. The owners have already gone before the Planning Board with a plan to divide the property into 5 house lots.

Town Manager Michael Lombardo told the board that Town Hall staff has been looking over the issues associated with the possible purchase of the property. Planning Coordinator Kristine Cheetham and Finance Director Deb Nippes-Mena outlined the same move described by Stinson in a memo to the board, Scuteri said.

"Their property values have gone up and their tax rate really hasn't," said Scutieri, referring to the new Manchester-Essex Regional High School building.

It would likely to 7-10 years to get state funding from the state School Building Authority for any new school, Lombardo said.

"The opportunity to buy 80 acres in a prime location will not come about again quickly," Lombardo said.

Since the possible use of the property would be for a new high school, Hamilton should talk with Wenham too, Chairman David Neill said.

"I can vision something else," Selectmen Marc Johnson said, but the town has a short timeframe to make a decision about whether it wants to buy the property.