By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor
Westborough – On a hill off of Lyman Street, near Lake Chauncy and neighboring Northborough, the former Westborough State Hospital property sits silent, a vestige of the past. The property’s 64 buildings, some of which were built when the hospital opened in 1886, are all now empty and boarded up. Vandals have left their mark since the hospital closed, on the insides as well as the outsides of the buildings.
The hospital, which was built in 1886, was closed by the commonwealth in 2010. Four years later, the town bought the property for $2.2 million after Town Meeting voters approved the measure, with the agreement that the town will split any proceeds from future sales of the property with the state.
The town is now currently seeking proposals for a 36.5 acre portion of the 94 acre property. On July 11 nearly 50 developers and business professionals gathered at the site of the former hospital for an informal tour of the property with town officials.
Before the tour, Town Manager Jim Malloy spoke of what factors the town will be assessing as they review the incoming bids. Those include such things as historical and/or cultural aspect, economic impact (potential tax revenue and job creation,) and impact on the town’s services.
The parcel for sale is approximately 600,000 square feet and contains 64 buildings. Many of those buildings have lead and asbestos in them. Several are connected by underground tunnels. Most of the buildings have been pillaged by vandals over the past few years, who, as they sought to steal copper wiring from the structures, also took the opportunity to trash the insides. That, combined with nearly six years of being unheated, has left the buildings in very poor shape.
The town will retain the nearly 60 acres of open space and recreational space that surrounds the parcel for sale. Some of that space may also be used for future municipal buildings, Malloy said.
The parcel is zoned for commercial and industrial uses with priority placed on creative, mixed-use developments, Malloy noted. Any housing use would be restricted to age 55 and over.
There is no requirement to restore the buildings, Malloy noted, although the town does have a demolition delay bylaw. There are also no open-space requirements due to the parcel’s proximity to the 60 acres of open space that will be kept by the town.
There is currently a facility, Allen Hall, which is run by the state’s Department of Youth Services, at the edge of the property as well. That building may be closed down at a future date as well, town officials said.
Any questions regarding the property or the bidding process should be made in writing to Malloy by Monday, Aug. 1. (James Malloy, Town Manager, 34 West Main St., Westborough, MA 01581 ). The deadline to submit proposals is Tuesday, Sept. 6.