CONCORD, NH — A school administrator, a former teacher and outgoing school board member, a current teacher, a journalist, and a landscape architect, all who live on the east side of the city, have been named to a new advisory committee to look into the sale of the former Eastman Elementary School.
Since voters overwhelmingly approved the sale of the school and land in November 2025, the board has received inquiries about joining or becoming involved on the committee. In February, the district issued a request for participants.
Pam Walsh, the president of the school board, chose Brenda Hastings, the current Zone C board member and a former teacher at Broken Ground Elementary School, to lead the effort. Also named were former Concord Planning Board member Susanne Smith-Meyer, a landscape architect who lives near the school, as well as Heidi Crumrine, a Concord High School teacher. JM Hirsch, a journalist, and Kathryn Rawl, a school administrator who both live in the area, were also named.
No meetings have been scheduled yet, but Walsh said it should be posted publicly.
The school is currently being rented by the Boys & Girls Club of Central New Hampshire.
A plan proposed as a potential development idea for Eastman School in 2011. Credit: Castagna Consulting Group
This is not the first time redevelopment of Eastman School has been considered.
As part of the elementary school consolidation process, the district hired Michael Castagna of Castagna Consulting Group in North Hampton in 2011 to host listening sessions to conceptualize development projects for five of the soon-to-be (at the time) empty schools, including Dame, Dewey, Eastman, Rumford, and Walker.
A report was generated for the district in 2012.
In his plans, Castagna proposed a multi-generational community center for Dame. The city later purchased the building for $1 and built a community center.
An eight-unit condominium project was proposed for Walker — which was later sold to Binnie Media for radio studios and a now-defunct television station.
Apartments were proposed for Rumford — about a dozen units with a day care facility and community space. After Christ the King Parish considered but decided against purchasing the building, it became an arts facility.
Ten condominiums were proposed for Dewey. The concept, however, did not consider new construction to maximize use of the 1.1-acre lot. Given that Circa has more than 30 apartments in the former First Congregational Church building on a lot that is two-thirds the size of Dewey, any developer worth their salt could densify Dewey to at least 20 units, if not more.
A proposal for development of the Dewey School/SAU 8 Central Office in 2011. Credit: Castagna Consulting Group
One proposal for Eastman, due to its size of 4.6 acres, featured an assisted living and congregate care facility similar to Havenwood Heritage Heights, only much smaller, about 60 units. A neighborhood meeting about the concept was lightly attended, with less than two dozen people. Most were against the senior housing proposal.
Castagna, at the time, said he had two potential buyers interested in building housing. He also suggested dorms or a satellite campus or dorms for NHTI, Concord's community college, housing for the New Hampshire National Guard, and small cottages as alternative proposals. But Castagna also thought the senior housing proposal would be more lucrative for the district and would expand the tax base.
At the presentation meeting, Smith-Meyer said she was surprised by the senior housing proposal, citing light pollution affecting (four) abutters.
"To me, it would lend itself to a lot less activity and use," she said at the time. "This looks like there are going to be people in and out all day long, as far as employees and care personnel."
Castagna said he kicked around the cottages idea but could not get enough units to make it financially worthwhile. The concept "bogged down the site and wasn't really a good use," he said. After citing the scale of the proposal and the current use, which, at the time, was an empty building, Smith Meyer said it was something "people are more accustomed to." Castagna replied, "OK, that's fair."
Other residents raised the need for workforce housing and apartments and Castagna agreed but noted there were historic pieces of the building that could not be demolished. There were also grade issues on the eastern and southern end of the lot.
When noting the lack of real estate development or legal experience on the committee, Walsh said she prioritized people who lived in the neighborhood.
One person who requested to be on the committee but was ignored was Bert Cooper, a long-time South End resident with more than 50 years of experience as a general practice attorney in two states with a concentration in real estate.
Cooper was a former chairman of the New Hampshire Bar Association Real Estate Section and previously worked on undeveloped land sales, condo subdivisions, zoning, and other land-use matters. He emailed board members in late November 2025 about his interest but did not hear from anyone, according to an email he sent to Patch in late March. When contacted by Patch, the former public information officer for the district claimed everyone who had requested to be considered had been contacted and was told they would receive a follow-up email in April. Cooper emailed again and received a response in early April.
Cooper was also involved in drafting the school district charter amendments approved by the city, which gave residents a say in the current use and sale of SAU 8 properties.
"While I would have loved to contribute my background and experience to the Eastman Sale Advisory Committee, I'm sure that the school board, in its collective wisdom, has staffed the committee with equally experienced individuals who can anticipate some of the problems which might arise and recommend the best path forward," he said. "Because fellow citizens will have high expectations concerning the sale and future use of the property, it will be important for the school board to show benefits not only in the short term from sale or lease proceeds, but in the long term as well, from an increase in the tax base."
Despite the slight, Cooper wished the board the best since "their success will be our success."
Along with the Eastman School, the district is also considering selling Dewey, which is currently used as the SAU 8 central office. During budget hearings earlier this year, a proposal was made to free up space at Concord High School for administration. The district is also considering selling 59 acres of Curtisville Road, where a new middle school was previously proposed.
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