WESTBROOK – About 35 people gathered at the Prides Corner Congregational Church Tuesday to discuss the future of the former Prides Corner Elementary School building and the surrounding land.
City Councilor Mike Sanphy and Mayor Colleen Hilton were joined by city staff and the broker chosen to market the property to get the neighbors’ input on what they wanted to see happen to the building and the approximately 9 acres of land on which it sits. Westbrook’s request for marketing proposals listed the former facility as a 30,000-square-foot building with an assessed value of $2.2 million.
Sanphy said he was pleased with how the meeting went.
“I think whole idea was to (hear) the public’s concerns about what goes on this land here, and rightfully so,” Sanphy said. “This is going to be their neighborhood, and they should have a say in what goes here.”
Residents expressed concerns that any development could bring traffic congestion to the neighborhood, and if a low-income housing development were built, that could lower property values in the city.
One idea that did gain some traction among residents was the idea of building senior citizen housing on the property. Carol Richard of Bridgton Road said she felt some sort of assisted living, nursing home and/or independent living facility would be a good fit.
“I think that site is going to require some major money and I don’t think a little housing development is going to bring in major money,” Richard said.
Her husband, Ed Richard, agreed that bringing in more tax money is important. He said he didn’t see a commercial development being a good fit for the Prides Corner site, and that a clustered development geared at people 55 years old and older would be a good use.
“As a property owner in Westbrook, (I have) a big concern with our tax base and how high it is and we have to find something to balance out what our tax base is going to be in the future,” he said.
Sanphy said he thought a nursing home or assisted living would be a workable solution. “Something that is going to generate taxes and be acceptable to everybody (is what we want for the property),” Sanphy said.
City Administrator Jerre Bryant told residents that since the city is selling the property, it would have a lot of control over what goes there. Assistant City Administrator Bill Baker said that before the City Council votes on any sale of the property, neighbors would have ample time to let their feelings be known.
Mark Malone of Malone Commercial Brokers of Portland, which is handling the marketing of the property for the city, said he didn’t think a commercial development would work on the site.
Malone added he hasn’t been contacted by any specific buyer for the property, though he is beginning to put together a list of potential buyers.
As for the concept of an assisted living facility or something of a similar nature, Malone said he thought that might be something that would be workable.
“I think it could be feasible,” he said. “We’ve done a few assisted living or nursing homes over the past 20 years and the configuration (of the building) is very similar (to those), with a central corridor and the rooms going off the sides. It’s a very similar layout, dimensionally.”
While city officials did raise the possibility of demolishing the old school building to avoid having to spend money to heat and maintain a vacant building through the winter, Malone said he thought the property had more value with the building standing.
“If I were the owner, before I did anything, I’d want to hear some market feedback,” Malone said. “I’d want to hear 20 people tell me, ‘If that building wasn’t there, I’d buy that,’ (before demolishing it),” he said.
About 35 residents turned out at a meeting Tuesday held by City Councilor Mike Sanphy, right, Mayor Colleen Hilton, seated at right, and city staff to discuss the future of the Prides Corner Elementary School property, which is being marketed for sale by the city. Send questions/comments to the editors.
