No bids were received in first round

By Theresa Knapp 

The former Hopedale Town Hall, at 78 Hopedale Street, is an historic building built in 1886 and dedicated in 1887 as the town’s first official Town Hall. It is a 21,488 square foot building on a .30 acre lot. 

“This building, constructed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, was a state-of-the-art facility in its day. The granite and brownstone structure is notable for its grand arched entryway, decorative leaded glass windows in the main stair, and community meeting space at the upper level. The building has served the town well. It is a hub of activity in the center of town, and is a reminder of the town’s proud history. The building has aged, however, and its systems have become obsolete. The Town of Hopedale has been anticipating a renovation of this facility to bring it into the current century and provide for current and future needs.” This information came from a “Building Conditions Assessment and Recommendations Report” written in 2013 to be presented to Town Meeting, 13 years ago. 

The 2013 report can be found at bit.ly/HopedaleTownHallRenovationProjectReport_2013 

No action was taken at that time and the building has continued to age, poorly. 

In July, the town put out a Request for Proposals for a reuse, renovation, rehabilitation, or disposition of the building. Bids were due on Sept. 1 but none were submitted. Town Administrator Mitch Ruscitti reported that he had received some inquiries but no final bids were submitted. Also, at that time, he estimated the cost to renovate the building would be “about $20 million.” 

In October, a second Request for Proposals went out, this time with a request for bidders to suggest what type of tax incentives would make the project enticing to them. Those bids are due this month but Ruscitti is cautious. 

He said, “We have had some feedback as to the building being in such a state of disrepair, it will be difficult even with tax incentives to move the project forward. We are exploring innovative ideas to ensure the building is reused in accordance with the wishes of residents and stakeholders.”