Should the Concord City Council Buy the NH ES Building?

When the Concord City Council meets on Monday, June 9, starting at 7 p.m., it will hold a public hearing to decide whether or not to purchase the Employment Security Building on South Main Street from the state of New Hampshire for $1.9 million.

According to Matt Walsh, the director of redevelopment, downtown services, and special projects, there are no set plans for the parcel and the city hasn’t entered into any agreements with developers for construction on the site. However, he added, there were developers who were interested in the parcel.

The city put out a request for proposals two years ago for a new library and housing on the site. Two developers came forward with ideas that were rejected earlier this year by the council.

Residents in the community, on a previous post on Patch, offered a number of ideas for the parcel, including a boutique hotel or a small theatre. Another person suggested a new police station or city hall.

When asked when and if the community would have the opportunity to talk about ideas for the parcel, similar to the processes that have gone on at the Penacook tannery site, Walsh said he didn’t know. He noted that the city had a history of purchasing parcels for development years before proposals were available, like the old Sears Block on South Main Street, now the Capital Commons Building, just off the intersection with Pleasant Street.

The public hearing will be held at the City Council Chambers on Green Street.

What do you think should be built on the DES property? Leave a note in the comment section of this post.