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HomeMy Public PortalAbout201-04-11 Remarks Town ManagerRemarks from Town Manager Michael J. Driscoll April 11, 2017 Town Council Meeting Agenda Item 7A Mr. President, As you indicated two weeks ago tonight, the Watertown Free Public Library was renovated and expanded and reopened in August of 2006. Today, there are 33,000 visits at our library each month and our library is open more hours per week than any other library building in the Commonwealth. Given the considerable use of the Town's main library building, the two former branch libraries closed as of June 30, 2006, almost eleven years ago. The Town Council voted to move forward with every effort to lease the former branch library properties. A Former Branch Libraries Re - Use Advisory Committee was formed, and met 9 times from March 2010 through June 2011. Three requests for proposals for lease of those properties were issued without any responsive bidders, as the investment required to make use of the properties makes leasing unworkable. Given all of these efforts, the Honorable Town Council voted to move forward with the issuance of a Request for Proposal back on October 5, 2016 for the disposition of real property via sale for the property located at 481 Mount Auburn Street, the Former East Branch Library. The solicitation of proposals from interested parties for the disposition of sale is being conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30B, Section 16 and all contracts for sale must be strictly awarded in accordance with the requirements of the Request for Proposal regarding real property transactions. As indicated in the RFP, the property can be proposed for rezoning and the Town will consider any such request based on an appropriate future use of the property and the minimum bid price is one million dollars. The sale of this property is contingent on final approval and acceptance by the Honorable Town Council. On November 7, 2016, the Town received a proposal from the St. James Armenian Church for the purchase of the former East Branch library property. This was the only response to the Town's request for proposals. The proposed purchase price of $1.2 million exceeds the Town's minimum bid price of one million dollars. For background purposes and for the folks here tonight & watching at home, the following are excerpts from various sections of the proposal from St. James: "St. James has been interested in purchasing the Property ever since the Town announced that the East Branch Library would be closed in 2006. The opportunity to purchase the East Branch Library represents a unique opportunity for St. James to acquire a property which directly abuts our Church. The acquisition of the property will give St. James the opportunity to provide better services to its parishioners and the residents of the Town and to ensure that any future re -use of the Library site is compatible with the Church and the surrounding residential community. It will Remarks from Town Manager Michael J. Driscoll April 11, 2017 Town Council Meeting Agenda Item 7A also ensure that Property will not be used in a manner which might not be compatible with our mission, or which might not be desirable for the residential neighborhood. We have convened a special committee to study and make recommendations for the best long- term uses of the Property. Our committee consists of parishioners with special talents in architecture, law, finance and community service. This committee is charged with finding uses for the Property that will preserve the mutual interest of both parties - the Town and the Church. The Church realizes that a substantial investment in the Property will be required. This fact must be considered in all potential and future uses for the Property. Our proposed uses will benefit the neighborhood. We will either renovate or replace an aging building for a low impact use, or, in the short term, remove the building and create an attractive landscape park. We expect little or no impact to the traffic pattern in the area. Given the large cost to renovate the building into a useable condition (over $2M), it is unlikely that we will be able to use the existing building. In the event that the Church decides that it cannot renovate the existing building, the plan for now would be to remove the existing structure and build a landscaped park on the site. This open space will be a nice amenity for the Church and for the neighborhood until such time as a new structure is built on the site. We will keep the Town informed of any future plans and will work with the Town on any potential reuse." The Town and St. James Church have been working cooperatively on terms of the sale which would be in the best interest of both parties. Subsequent to my remarks, Town Attorney Mark Reich will provide a summary of the discussions between St. James and the Administration along with follow-up dialogue with the Honorable Town Council. In closing, I respectfully request the Honorable Town Council's favorable consideration tonight in moving forward with the disposition of Town real property via sale for the property located at 481 Mount Auburn Street, the Former East Branch Library. Thank you.