Lowell City Council members, ahead of their Jan. 10, 2023 meeting. From left, Corey Robinson, Paul Ratha Yem, John Leahy, Rita Mercier, Dan Rourke, Mayor Sokhary Chau, Wayne Jenness, Kim Scott, John Drinkwater, Vesna Nuon and Vice Chair Erik Gitschier. (Julia Malakie/Lowell Sun)
LOWELL — The development of existing buildings and vacant properties in the city is very much on the City Council’s collective mind, and the motions from past meetings, as well as the upcoming meeting, reflect the members’ intent to maintain a focus on growing the economic fortunes of Lowell through property growth and development.
Vacant properties do not generate revenue for the tax rolls and management of these properties cost the city additional money.
The Oct. 3 meeting featured motions addressing the development of the Hamilton Canal Innovation District parcels along Dutton Street and the Tanner Street property in the Lowell’s Ayer’s City Industrial Plan Area.
With the HCID, Councilor Erik Gitschier expressed concerns about delays in bringing those long-pending projects to fruition.
“We have sold some of those lots at very low prices to get the development going, and here we are again,” he said.
In response to several councilor motions requesting an update on the HCID development, City Manager Tom Golden asked for “a little bit more time” to bring a plan to the body for consideration.
“When it comes to the folks who still own the parcels, there is a lot of activity going on,” he said. “We have multiple conversations going on as we speak with different parties looking to do different things. We’re moving in the best interest, and once we feel we have done that … we’ll be coming to you.”
The council voted to send the motion responses to the Economic Development Subcommittee pending executive session meetings on the projects.
Another property that looms over the cityscape is the hulking, abandoned and deteriorating Smith Baker Center that sits directly across the street from City Hall on Merrimack Street. The historic red-brick building has been vacant since the Council on Aging moved out in 2002.
Efforts to sell the property to developers have failed, and the building has several large red X’s affixed to its exterior.
“The X is designed as a safety measure for firefighters,” Fire Chief Phillip Charron said in previous reporting from 2021. “It’s a beautiful building. It’s just reaching the point where it’s not safe to fight a fire, never mind for someone to use it.”
In response to Gitschier’s motion requesting the Golden administration look into the feasibility of demolishing the Smith Baker Center, Director of Economic Development Ali Carter wrote that, “Currently there are two options available for the Smith Baker Center, the first is to RFP the property without a performance space restriction and allow developers to determine the highest and best use of the site while maintaining the exterior of the building in-tact. The second option would be for the city to move forward with hazardous material abatement, demolish the building, and RFP the available land for use. DPD does not have a funding source identified that would cover the cost of abatement and demolition at this time.”
The upcoming Oct. 10 meeting continues the development discussion, this time on a positive note with the council receiving a presentation from Boston Capital on the 733 Broadway St. development project.
The property was the site of a ceremony at which the administration of Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announced $246 million to build and preserve 1,600 affordable and mixed-income housing units in 20 communities across the state, including Lowell.
The event was held in May on the grounds of the current headquarters of the Merrimack Valley Food Bank, which has been serving the community for 30 years. The nonprofit sold the property to Boston Capital Development, a multifamily housing investment company, and will relocate to a new and expanded location.
In its place on 733-735 Broadway St. will rise a $30 million, four-story building with 52 units of affordable housing, that will also provide three permanent supportive housing units for formerly homeless families.
Another potential bright spot in the city’s development plans is the draft agreement with the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to develop 41 Hurd St., site of the old District Court, into affordable housing.
In previous council meetings, the administration has provided information on 363 surplus properties in the city’s portfolio and the status on the abandoned Superior Courthouse.
