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08/10/2021 01:35 PMAfter a lengthy public hearing on three proposals to purchase the Island Avenue School property, the Board of Selectmen (BOS) voted to recommend private school Our Lady of Mercy Preparatory Academy (OLMPA) as the preferred buyer at $2.3 million, likely sending the questions to voters sometime in the next six to eight months.
Starting when the school was shuttered in 2019 as Madison redistricted in response to declining enrollment, the town has sought a permanent sale or use of the property, with many fearing that it might sit in limbo if the town could not agree on a solution.
Though Madison residents will have a chance to weigh in directly, either through town meeting or more likely at referendum, there was relatively little controversy in the decision from the BOS and the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC); the Board of Finance still has to weigh in.
Lyons said that her decision was based on the community support of OLMPA, the “completion risks” of going with a residential developer, and legal obligations placed on the town due to the property’s deed restriction, though she added there will be other important logistical work to take care of still, starting with contract negotiations.
“This is the right step...to go forward—and once again, there will be a lot more hurdles to go over,” she said.
OLMPA has leased the property since the district withdrew from it, and made it clear almost from day one that it was interested in making it a permanent home. Only two other entities put forward proposals to purchase and develop the property. BOS members attributed the relatively low number of proposals to the deed restrictions that allowed heirs of the original owner the “right of first refusal,” meaning they have the legal right to purchase the property before anyone else.
Those heirs have also indicated to the town that they would prefer the property remain a school, according to officials.
Selectman Bruce Wilson has also made it clear he wants the town to remain open to approving the sale of Island at town meeting, though Lyons has stated repeatedly that a referendum, while not required, is the best way to ensure all residents can have their voice heard.
“The town has never disposed of anything of this size before,” she said.
The Proposals
Last week, the BOS allowed both these developers and OLMPA to present their proposals as well as take questions from residents, with a good number of people both in person and virtually joining the meeting.
The two residential proposals came from Beacon Communities and Newport Realty, both at a much lower purchase price than OLMPA—Beacon at $250,000 and Newport at $300,000. Beacon’s plan would fully demolish the school building and put up seven townhouses and a large apartment-style “community space” building, creating a total of 70 units.
These would be divided with 80 percent of living spaces restricted for seniors and the other 20 percent limited to families with foster children, with the stated intention that senior residents would support the foster families with community events and an on-site kitchen.
Beacon CEO Dana Kovel said at the presentation that the unique plan, used first at an apartment complex near Boston, “has really been a great outcome” and “a transformational model” specifically for the foster children.
“Opportunities like this to create affordable housing in towns like Madison don’t come along very often,” she said.
Selectman Erin Duques said she supported the affordable housing aspect, but said she didn’t think the proposal “fits” the Island property.
“It just doesn’t make a lot of sense. That kind of makes that come off the table for me,” she said.
Newport is proposing to keep at least a portion of the school intact, turning that portion of the building into senior housing. It would additionally build 10 duplex-style, three-bedroom condos and would try to preserve wetlands on the property, ending with a total of 22 units.
Tony Valenti, a principal with Newport, pitched the development as a well-researched and responsive project that would quickly fill with tenants and provide value for the town at around $205,000 in tax revenue a year.
“We also listen to the commissions and the boards,” he said.
OLMPA’s pitch was aggressive in contrasting itself to the residential developers.
“All of them provided a bid that was way undervalued. They came to our town, they want you to sell it to them for a couple hundred thousand dollars,” OLMPA board member Vlad Coric said.
“I think that shows you some true colors,” he added.
Coric received a warm reception from the small crowd as he spoke about preserving the school and neighborhood as it is, emphasizing also that OLMPA has an established relationship with the community and local businesses. OLMPA also plans to purchase the property through a for-profit entity to ensure the town receives tax revenue.
A semi-formal poll of residents carried out by the town last year saw a plurality of respondents prefer OLMPA staying at the site.
For the most part, the rest of the BOS seemed on the same track as Lyons, expressing cautious optimism about the school while being clear that they need to navigate the deed restrictions and contract specifics.
“[OLPMA] is a great member of the community, it’s well liked by all the neighbors, it provides a lot of value to our community. I think from that perspective, it kind of checks all the boxes,” Duques said.
Both the PZC and Board of Finance will have a chance to review the proposal over the next month or so, as the town begins to negotiate a contract with OLMPA, though their votes are also only recommendations at this point, according to Lyons.