Concord city council approves $1 million bid on long-coveted, state-owned buildings
(The Center Square) – New Hampshire’s Concord City Council recently authorized a $1 million bid on five state-owned buildings in states of disrepair.
The city’s bid will match a previous bid placed after the state put the real estate on the market in October. New Hampshire offered the city first refusal rights, as reported by the Concord Monitor.
The buildings and six acres of land are all state-owned New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) buildings, some built as early as the 1920s.
The Monitor reported the city of Concord has had their eye on the buildings for a while for a few reasons, including a desire of elevating the appearance of Exit 14 off the interstate, as drivers enter the city, and pushing out the downtown district.
“There have been a litany of plans over the years,” Deputy City Manager, Carlos Baia said, according to the Monitor. “… All of them include some sort of master plan redevelopment project for the area … to maximize the tax base.”
In order to purchase the buildings, the city will have to meet a few requirements by the state, including preserving the historical integrity of the two oldest buildings and performing any environmental cleanup necessary. The two oldest buildings are from 1926 and 1941.
Parts of the site were used as a state vehicle painting facility, activities that took place well before environmental regulations that prevented dumping toxic byproducts into the ground and water.
A public hearing and approval by the city council, the governor and Executive Council will all be necessary before any purchase can be finalized.
The Department of Transportation stopped using the buildings in 2006, according to the Monitor. Currently, the buildings are used for storage by state agencies.
