CLINTON

At an information session held on Sept. 11, developers Xenolith Partners and HOPE Partnership gave a detailed presentation on the proposed redevelopment of the Pierson School and what the timeline of the project looks like.

In May, the town and developers, Xenolith Partners and HOPE Partnership, agreed to a purchase and sale agreement to turn the former middle school into a mix of affordable housing and senior programming, while the town would retain some of the space for community use. Under the agreement, the Pierson School property would be sold for $500,000. The developers have until August 2026 to close on the property.

At a Sept. 11 public information session, representatives from the development team, as well Karl Kilduff, Clinton’s former town manager, were on hand to answer questions from the community and give updates on what is planned for the former middle school.

During the presentation, the developers said that under their proposal, the school would be turned into 50 apartments to be marketed preferably toward seniors aged 62 and older. The developers also said that a new wing would need to be constructed on the property.

The gymnasium would be leased back to the town for $1 for use as a senior center. The town would be responsible for the programming and operational costs of the senior center. The lawn, gazebo, and statues on the property would remain in place for use by town residents.

The developers said that a parking easement for the church next to the school will also be put in place, so that church attendees can continue to park in the lot. The developers are proposing 90 total parking spots with 50 earmarked for residents, 30 for the church, and 10 dedicated to the public.

The proposed housing component of the development would include a mix of studio and one-bedroom apartments aimed at people making between 40 to 60% of the median income of the area. The apartments would be marketed with a preference for senior citizens ages 62 and older, although if the apartments could not be filled, the developers acknowledged that it’s possible the housing would be available to the general public. In response to a question from a member of the public, the developers stated that fair housing laws prohibits them from having a preference for seniors from Clinton specifically.

Next Steps

The public information sessions kicked off what is set to be a busy three weeks of applications related to the Pierson School.

On Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 6:30 p.m., the Town Council will hold a public hearing regarding a new proposed ordinance which would allow for a tax abatement for non-profit entities building affordable housing. If the ordinance is passed, “This would set in motion the ability to negotiate the abatement with Xenolith Partners,” Kilduff explained at a meeting in August. At the meeting on Sept. 11, the developers said the abatement would be needed to help build the project.

The developers said they are proposing a 32-year long abatement during which there would be zero taxes paid during the two-year constriction period. After that taxes, would be assessed at $500 per unit with 2% escalations for 30 years.

On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the council will hold a public hearing regarding the proposed sale at 6 p.m., followed by a town meeting to authorize the sale at 7 p.m. Both meetings are at Town Hall.

Assuming the potential sale is approved, on Monday, Oct. 7, the Planning and Zoning Commission will open a public hearing regarding the proposed development. This application would be for the actual work on the property, as opposed to just the sale.

The development team said that it would begin the applications with the state to get approvals and funding in place during the fall of 2024 and spring of 2025. The developers anticipate a constriction start date of November 2025 and a completion date of June 2027.

Deed Restriction Progress Likely

Despite the possibility of a sale, one long-time obstacle to redeveloping the property remains, although it appears progress is finally near.

When the Morgan Fund trustees sold the property to the town in 1953, a deed on the property from the sale stated that the premises must always be used for the education interests of the residents.

Since 2019, the town has pursued ongoing legal action, officially called a cy-pres, which would lift the deed restriction. Town officials learned about the deed restriction after the decision to close the school was made in 2018.

For years, there has been no concrete update on the status of the cy-pres. On Sept. 11 Kilduff, who has continued to work on the Pierson project despite no longer working for the town, said that once the sale agreement is approved, the cy-pres action will move quickly.

A PowerPoint presentation outlining what the developers said is posted on the town website and a special section of the website dedicated to updates about the Pierson School is now live.