Time to get a move on

Stolen from the latest edition of The Fairhaven Neighborhood News:

the building would require a “total retrofit for any use,” and an enormous financial responsibility.” (quoiting the consultant)

Any individual out there who wants to know why the town won't keep the building and rent it needs no other information. 

The primary reason behind the reason the building is no longer a school. It is also the primary reason why the expectation that someone with white hat riding into town to develop this property best have saddlebags full of cash.

From the consultant's report, page 2:

Private School

The problems with upgrading or even maintaining the facilities for educational purposes is the

essentially the same for a private or charter school as it was for the town. It is unlikely that a purchaser would be able to properly restore the properties for this purpose.

The primary reason why it isn't a school anymore. Not something that occurred overnight. Not something that occurred in the last 10 years, or 20 years or 30 years. A problem that developed well before the plan developed in the late '90s/early 2000s to rehab all the then remaining elementary school buildings and the Middle School.  A plan that went nowhere not because it was a bad plan, but because no one wanted to pay for it.  

Town folk everywhere seem to scream about conditions of buildings and yet scream about the cost of maintaining buildings.

Here is a bit of foresight about a building that one might look to as the closest example of  the "soul" of the Town.  The millions of dollars known to be needed for continued maintenance of the old portion of the high school.  

But I digress. That battle isn't going to be mine to fight.

To the topic at hand. Let's talk about the RFP process.  

It is, and has been, a foregone conclusion that is is what was going to be decided. If you don't think so, you have not been following this issue at all.  Take the tone and tenor for that anyway you want. I have already collected by bet on that one, the other side having conceded yesterday morning.

Of course, people being people, there was a desire to attempt to win back the money.  The new bet was how many RFPs would be submitted.  Note the word submitted.  We had to fine tune it a bit to the how many responsible RFPs would be submitted. Than there was an agreement as to amount and the fact there would be a wager.  Postponed, in the truest tradition of this whole process after all, was the number to be submitted. We will wait until the final version of the RFP to be tossed out.

Suffice it to say the number will be greatly determined by "security" required for any bid to be successful.

Again from the consultants report, this time page 3:

The RFP should include significant controls to assure the properties are developed in a timely fashion and as proposed. It is recommended that a substantial deposit be required of the selected developer(s).

Now the proposed RFP is obviously a first draft of a submitted proposal. Hopefully it is.

I will remind all of you however, that if we don't follow the consultant on these key points, why was it again we needed to spend the money so an RFP could be drawn? Remember the sales pitch at Town Meeting folks.

Remember this also, and read into what you want as far as tone and tenor: Any RFP that doesn't require significant controls for timely development and doesn't require a substantial deposit isn't going to be worth the ink used to print it, never mind the paper it is printed on.

That is one term by the way if by-passed to award the bid for a proposal that meets all the other desire specs, but not the "security" issue, will certainly cause some serious questions to be raised.

A promissory note to be given if awarded, and a $1,000 deposit at the time the bid is submitted, at least in my opinion, isn't going to cut it. Heck, the $1,000 up front from the successful bidder, to be credit to the purchase price isn't going to even cover the town's cost on this RFP process. The same won't even cover the cost of advertising. If no qualifying bid is received, well it covers no costs.

What would be a substantial deposit? Truthfully we have to wait to see the bulk of the final details for the RFP.  

The proposed RFP notes:

SECTION IV. DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES 

• Due to the fact that the property location is in a residential neighborhood, the use of the property is limited to residential zoning bylaws.

• The Committee and Town of Fairhaven would like to see the former Rogers Elementary School Property redeveloped to maximize the Town's historic potential for now and for the Town's future.

SECTION VI. DEVELOPMENT PARAMETERS

• No demolition of the 1885 building will be permitted.

• The exterior of the buildings integrity should be restored and maintained to the greatest extent possible.

• Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize the Property will be preserved.

• Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

• New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.

• Uses of the building must conform to the residential setting.

• The purchasers/developers to use the property only for its "intended use" with the requirement enforced by a deed covenant that lasts in perpetuity.

• The site will have deed restrictions prohibiting such uses as inappropriate.

• Provisionary note for renovation to start within 12 months and be complete within 30 months.

Reading the above, it appears someone has actually be reading legal standards for historical buildings and use of public funds for the same. Some of the components are grabbed from the standards I mentioned recently.

What's all that mean? In the real world we are talking millions.  

Slate roof for slate roof. Cooper trim and this and that equals cooper trim for this and that. The new additions, exterior alterations or related new construction, probably an added 25% minimum to the cost of any such stuff.

Now you either need the saddlebags stuffed with money, a solid business plan to take to a bank, or an angle to shake some government money tree. 

Throw out the middle one, cause I don't see any financially feasible investment plan coming from this.  Do you? If so, tell us.

Examples of adaptive school re-uses.  that's in the consultant report.  I must be missing something, because I don't see any way shape or form you are going to get a 42 unit assisted living facility on that site.  By the way, if you find more than one example in the report, let me know the page.  Time has been a premium the past few days so, I have probably missed the other examples flipping through the online report.

Apples and oranges. Folks.  Apples and oranges.  Whether our school is an example of an apple or an orange is irrelevant, except it should be compared to another apple if it is that, or an orange if it is that. 

PLEASE NOTE:

All criticism above and such as noted in the past is in many ways irrelevant.  

The only thin relevant is the certainty that there will be an RFP.  Get it done. Get it done right. You want to protect the building and the character of the neighborhood, make sure you do so in the best interest of the entire town, i.e. you don't end up grasping at straws just hoping things go right.

 At this stage of the game, I simply cannot understand why the things that need to be done, NO MATTER WHAT THE OPTION, have not been done.

Get it done. Get it done right. Deal with it. Yes that might actually mean allocating more than 30 minutes to the issue during a meeting.  It might actually mean from this point on grabbing the reins back to take control from this point on.

Someone asked at the end of Tuesday's meeting who was in charge related to another issue.  Very relevant to this issue.

The law defines who is in charge.  It isn't the people making demands.  It isn't the people who attempt determine time frames for their own purposes, or crafting preferred options.  It isn't ad hoc committees allowed to define their own mission statements.

When people stand up and say we elected you, the we is just them, it is the entire town.  You weren't elected to do what was best for those who voted for you, or threaten to vote against you.  I for one won't fault you for the RFP process, but it is time to get it all done, in the right way, for the best interest of the entire town, which does not have to be incompatible with the neighborhood.

I have no problem with an RFP going out that attempts to preserve, protect and restore. I would have a significant problem with an award that does not comply with the RFP, even if it is the only proposal submitted.

If you can't get a proposal that complies, that has to tell you something.  Sole proposals folks.  Promises made. Think about that. Please.

Just get it done, and get it done right.

Be safe.