$600,000 approved for costs associated with two units in Professional Building 

By Theresa Knapp

At a June 17 Special Town Meeting, Hopedale voters allocated $600,000 for costs associated with the purchase of two condominium units in the Hopedale Professional Building at 54 Hopedale Street. Units 1 and 103 will be renovated to serve as new municipal offices, and the current Town Hall will be closed. 

“When you factor in what we are going to spend this year to keep the Town Hall operational versus what it costs us to winterize Town Hall and move into these units, over the fiscal year, we are going to save in tax levy more than $130,000.”  

There was one question on the warrant which generated a 20-minute discussion about the need, and related implications, to moving out of the current Town Hall - a building that was built In 1886, at the direction of George Draper of the Draper Corporation, and has been riddled with issues over the years. 

The Finance Committee supported the purchase. 

The article passed overwhelmingly, with one naysayer. 

At the meeting, Town Administrator Mitch Ruscitti said, “As of right now, whether or not we purchase these condo units, [Town Hall] is going to be closed for health and safety reasons.” 

The offices that will move into the condos include the Town Administrator, Treasurer, Assessors, Board of Health, Building Department, and the Town Clerk. Hopedale Cable, whose current lease is about to expire, will also move into the space and will pay rent to the town. 

It was noted that the lease for the Beyond Full restaurant is coming to an end, and the Curiosity Shoppe will also be leaving the building. 

While voters allocated $600,000, all funds may not be spent. Ruscitti said the purchase price of the two units is $450,000, and moving costs are between $30,000 and $38,000.  He said the renovation costs will be covered by ARPA funds and will not come from the tax levy. 

Other sites were considered, including space at the airport, but Ruscitti noted that residents have said they want to keep municipal offices in the center of town. This space will also keep town offices “close in proximity to our police, fire and highway departments in addition to school administrative offices.” 

When renovated, the condo space can accommodate smaller meetings but larger meetings will be held elsewhere, likely at the public library or in a school building, said Ruscitti. 

The Town also looked at leasing space but, “The lease cost would be in excess of $200,000 a year for the same space,” said Ruscitti. He also said the town, over the last year, has spent over $258,000 to keep Town Hall running, and most of that was in heating and plumbing repair. “We can’t, during any given year, spend over a certain threshold without triggering ADA compliance, which would require us to put in an elevator which we can’t afford.” 

The Town will pay about $24,000 in condo fees per year which will include snowplowing, sanding, common area maintenance, minor repairs, some utilities, and master insurance (the town will also purchase supplemental insurance). 

Ruscitti said that, to own and operate these condos, including HOA fees, “equals about $64,000 a year, which is about a quarter of what we’re going to spend in just keeping the Town Hall open, nevermind that we’re keeping it open with numerous building and health code violations that we know exist.” 

When Town Meeting member Dalton Haynes asked how long it would take for the Town to break even with its costs, Ruscitti said, “When you factor in what we are going to spend this year to keep the Town Hall operational versus what it costs us to winterize Town Hall and move into these units, over the fiscal year, we are going to save in tax levy more than $130,000.”  

When Town Meeting member Ed McGrath asked who would pay the taxes on the condos, Ruscitti said the Town would not pay property taxes on the units, noting the units previously taxes on the units were $9,700 a year. 

He explained, “However, when you factor in that $9,700 against the $250,000 that we’re spending to keep Town Hall open, we’re still well ahead on what’s going out. Keep in mind as well that, if move forward to selling the Town Hall building for private redevelopment, it’s also going to be bringing in in far excess of the $9,700 in property taxes, so we are looking to make money on this transaction.”

A Request for Proposals for the reuse, rehabilitation, or disposition of the current Town Hall went out in July and responses were due by Sept. 1. For the fully story, visit https://bit.ly/HopedaleTownHallReuseProcessMovingForward.