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bbpolitical
Forum Admin
265 Posts |
 Posted - 11/04/2006 : 6:57:04 PM
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The proposed acquisiton and redevelopment of the Devens School and High School are open to bidders as of now. (see the Request for Bids on the city website at You must be logged in to see this link. )
The winning bid will be revealed December 20th at 11AM and the winner will be getting the rights to both of the properties, with some restrictions concenring being socially responsible.
At the Devens meeting last week, I arrived late, but was in time to learn that the city was looking for suggestions on what to do with the Devens. In particular, some of the big problems include the state of the building (needing somewhere between 1 million to 4 million to maintain/modernize the building) and the complete lack of parking.
There were no solutions that emerged from the meeting as most of the suggestions had already been tried to some extent and fallen far short of realizing any progress towards the goal of saving the building. As we were leaving the best idea seemed to be to redevelop the space as a Cultural Center, but the capital funding for such a project would take years to acquire and the sources are as yet unknown.
It looks like the city is hoping someone will come in and buy the Devens together with the old High School, since perhaps some problems of the Devens can be balanced by beneifts of the High School building, although, I think it is very unlikely that the city will get a decent deal at all.
I am an average resident of Everett who would like to see more communication about anything and everything to do with Everett
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2007 : 9:22:19 PM
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| They discussed these bids tonight at the Alderman's meeting. Does anyone who works at City Hall know what they are doing? What is wrong with Marcus?????????? Take less money than the building is worth, after we just got hit with these outrageous tax bills. All I can do is shake my head. |
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Citizen Kane
Advanced Member
1082 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2007 : 9:36:20 PM
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What was his reasoning for that? To simply be rid of it and get what we can for it?
What about the old high school? Was there any discussion about that? And I don't think it includes the field house. I seem to remember something about the city keeping the field house, but I might be wrong on that. |
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justhefacts
Member
51 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 12:01:36 AM
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I think selling the old high school is a big mistake. Can you imagine a renovated building that housed a new rec center (field house), police HQ, fire station, 911 center and a 21st century city hall with a beautiful outside all under one roof? It could be the focal point of the whole city. Not to mention the added benefit of having an auditorium and more than enough room for evening classes in other areas of the building. It truly could be a mega building for all of your city needs.
The city could sell off the Devens, city hall, Hancock St. fire station, the rec center, the police station and 911 center to pay for the renovations and then some. It would allow the city to completely renovate Ferru st. fire station and leave the city in a position to show continued growth in major sections of the city for years to come.
We could also make a move to sell the central fire station and move it to land on lower broadway. That area will need a station of its own with all of the industry there and the growing population.
Think about an entire block of development directly across from a huge park, right next to a brand new high school, and abutting a hockey rink. It must be worth a fortune.
Pairing the current city hall with the devens school property would be a much easier sell than the devens and the high school.
Granted it may take 5-10 years to get it all done, but don't we need to have a bold vision for the future if we are going to get this city back on track? Don't colleges, universities, hospitals etc. all have a master plan? I think this is a terrific opportunity being missed. |
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justme
Advanced Member
1428 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 06:09:09 AM
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Housing Police, Fire, & 911 in one, central, modern, building would be wonderful. Adding city hall, rec center, night classes, and an auditorium is too much and impractical. The old high school would need to be torn down, not renovated in order to do it right and couldn't possibly hold everything. One building for all the things you speak of would need to be much larger, with off-street parking for employees, visitors & of course, the fire & police vehicles. Many of the reasons it was impractical to renovate the building for continued use as a school are the same reasons it's impractical to renovate it for the uses you describe.
That said, I agree that we need a bold vision for the future to get this city back on track. Our public buildings are in disrepair and grossly inadequate. Let's hope our next mayor has the vision, and ability, to move this city forward. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 07:33:06 AM
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| I could even go along with City Hall being up there but not the rec. Too many kids in the area of fire and police. It has a potential of being very dangerous. I know there is fire and police near the rec center now, but they are housed in a different building, with less of a chance of an accident. I would actually like to see "Old Blue" torn down. It's the ugliest building on Broadway. Great idea, Facts. |
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Lynda
Advanced Member
1282 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 08:36:37 AM
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massdee.
Why do you feel the Rec being at the old high school with the Police and Fire dangerous? I am not disagreeing with you just want to know your thoughts. |
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Fran
Senior Member
250 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 08:47:53 AM
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| I think Old Blue is Everett's version of Boston's new city hall mistake. It needs to go. I'm all for all these services being housed at the High School but I would like to see the Rec stay in city hands or outsourced to a Boys/Girls Club or the like. We need more indoor and outdoor recreation facilities throughout the City, not less. I think a Rec facility would not be dangerous housed in the same buildling since the existing one on Elm St. is right next to the Police and Fire stations. In fact, being housed in the same building as public safety might deter trouble. |
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Lynda
Advanced Member
1282 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 09:23:21 AM
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| Fran. That was my thought as well. I am alittle confused as to why massdee thinks it would pose a danger. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 09:37:27 AM
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| I wasn't thinking so much as to deter trouble as I was thinking about the safety of the kids. As I stated earlier, I realize the rec is now located next to fire and police, but I think there is more of a potential of an accident with them all housed together at the High School location. |
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Lynda
Advanced Member
1282 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 09:48:52 AM
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| I know that a while back that they had entertained the idea of making the High School a Elderly living facility and they had thoughts of moving the Rec to the field hose. That I thought was a awful idea. (Some, no all, of the kids that hang out at the Rec,the undesirable ones)My thoughts went right to the fact of those kids may harm the elderly looking for drugs that they may have for several medical conditions. |
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massdee
Moderator
5299 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 09:54:22 AM
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| Lynda, that is a really good point if they were to go with Elderly Housing. The danger I was thinking of has more to do with the amount of traffic and congestion in that area. If we add the police and fire up there it will be all that more. |
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justhefacts
Member
51 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 10:27:59 AM
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I was thinking that part of the grass area out front could be used as an area for the fire trucks to swing around and back in like other cities have. That way the only time they interfere with traffic is when they are pulling out to a call. I figured it would actually have less of an impact than when they pull out of central fire station.
You are right though, the parking could potentially be an issue, but the kids and teachers have made it work for a decent amount of time. Something would definitely have to be done to make the parking better.
I think we could fit everything under one roof for sure. I bet the square footage at the high school is comparable to that of the other buildings combined, and it would we renovated to suit our needs going forward. Literally the only thing that would remain the same is the outside of the building. The rest can be renovated, divided, and redesigned. |
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justhefacts
Member
51 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 10:32:41 AM
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The only real addition would be taking out that grass area in the front so the trucks can swing around and adding a small building to house the trucks in that same area.
Or maybe that whole area becomes a municipal lot in the front to alleviate parking?
The possibilities are pretty much endless, and I would be happy with the rec/high school together and then building a police/fire/911 at a different city owned location.
Bottom line is it's a big mistake to sell this off without having a community meeting to hear our ideas first. These sales could potentially shape everett's future. |
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justhefacts
Member
51 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 6:19:37 PM
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| Do you think the traffic would be impacted to make it a danger? I figure the police and fire would work in the front while the Rec would be in back. |
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Court4Fred
Advanced Member
1201 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2007 : 10:48:24 PM
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| I think combining a rec center with police and fire would be a mistake. Why would you want kids playing in the same building which holds people under arrest? Accidents happen. This is not a wise mix. |
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Bidding open on the Devens and old High School
