Concord’s Middle School Could Be Sold After New Facility Built

CONCORD, NH — With the news that the Concord School District has agreed to a letter of intent to purchase two parcels on Clinton Street for a new middle school as well as possible new Concord YMCA as part of the project, speculation will begin on what to do with the old school.

In fact, speculation has been going on for close to six months.

Rumors have been floating around the city, with a number of political players, developers, and others, that the Rundlett Middle School could be up for sale at some point in the next few years.

Most speculators have floated a medical facility or housing potentials along the lines of Havenwood or Genesis health care facilities as possible redevelopment opportunities. Many of the rooms of the school could be resized for assisted living, senior living, or long-term care. The grounds also allow for expansion on the northwest and east side of the 7-plus acre parcel with plenty of area for visiting spaces, walking pathways, and exercising.

The parcel is also close to Concord Hospital and outpatient services on Pleasant Street and Langley Parkway, too, making ambulatory transportation quickly accessible to patients or the elderly.

ALSO READ:

• Part 1: Concord School District To Buy Land For New Middle School
• Part 3: A Lot Of Unknowns With New Concord Middle School Project

Zoning on the parcel is RS — or single-family housing which would also allow for cluster development. Any institutional development on the site would require rezoning, neighborhood outreach, and planning … and a lot of it. But with an aging population and a lack of any kind of housing in the city, there would be an opportunity for redevelopment.

Jack Dunn, the district’s business manager, said the district had not received any proposals or offers to purchase Rundlett. He called any of the rumored potential reuses “just ideas.” Dunn said the district had an estimate of about $1.3 million in cost to tear down the building for a new school in 2017, a cost that would immediately be taken out of the $96 million estimated new school cost, a price which is about 5 years old, at this point.

The possibility of moving the school to an alternative site allows for not only a discussion about reuse but also maximizing revenue potential to offset the cost of the new school before school aid and design revisions for lower enrollments.

The district, Dunn said, would be reaching out to “stakeholders” including city officials, abutters, and the neighborhood around Rundlett as the process moves forward.

Michele Sheppard, the interim president and CEO of Granite Y, said it was unknown what the org would do with its current facility if a new building was constructed.

Officials have been working to shore up its agreement with the school district and also find financing strategies for the new facility. After that, when considering current and new programming, the Concord YMCA would decide what would go where, whether in the current space, new space, or shared space, she said.

The school district also has other parcels around the city it will probably need to sell to offset the cost of a new middle school — especially since property taxpayers still have two decades' worth of annual $3 million payments for the elementary school consolidation project.

While there are restrictions on the 30 acres of land the district owns across the street from the CenterPoint parcels, there are no restrictions on nearly 60 acres of land off South Curtisville Road.

The land is only assessed at $500,000 but it is zoned for medium density housing — both single-family detached, duplex or two-family dwelling, or cluster development, meaning a lot of housing options would be available for a potential developer. Housing, as everyone knows, is something the city badly needs and buyers are questionably paying top dollar for limited and spotty inventory.

The Eastman School building and land, which is being rented by the Boys & Girls Club of Central New Hampshire, features a historic building on 4.6 acres. It’s assessed at nearly $2.6 million and is zoned RN — single-family, duplex or two-family dwelling, attached dwellings, manufactured housing subdivision, manufactured housing park, and cluster development.

During the post-elementary school consolidation process, the last time the district analyzed its holdings, Michael Castagna of Castagna Consulting Group proposed an assisted living facility similar to Genesis’ properties. At the time, more than a decade ago, he said there were two buyers interested in the property and anywhere from 50 to 60 units of independent living units could be built on the site. Military recruiters and New Hampshire Technical Institute, Concord’s community college, had also expressed interest in the property. Back in October 2012, the site was used as housing, for squatters, who were using political campaign signs as blankets.

Murphy said the district knew it would need to do something with the Eastman parcel.

“We get that,” she said.

The board, too, had also done a good job, putting money aside, partially due to banking extra money after the high school bond was paid off and the rate not being reduced.

“We have about $10 million now,” she said.

There is also the Rundlett piece, Murphy said, which could be put back on the tax rolls, at a significant value.

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