People and Property: Real Estate and Construction News From Around NH

State school sale still pending, without firm closing date

The state is inching closer to the sale of the former Laconia State School property, though there is no longer a date attached to expectations.

The real estate deal was discussed at the Executive Council meeting held on Jan. 31.

At that meeting, Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas, District 4, pressed Charlie Arlinghaus, commissioner of the state Department of Administrative Services, for progress on the sale of the 220-acre property in Laconia to a private firm known as Legacy at Laconia, which proposes to build a “self-sustaining village,” according to its website, on the property. Legacy at Laconia has offered to purchase the property for $21.5 million.

The deal, which has been in discussion at the Executive Council since December 2022, was initially expected to close in September of last year. That was then pushed to November, and in December, it was announced the sale would take place on Jan. 15.

But when the Executive Council convened on Jan. 31, no papers had been signed, and Gatsas expressed frustration the buyer could still walk away.

“When are we going to get the position of a nonrefundable deposit?” Gatsas asked Arlinghaus.

The answer Arlinghaus gave was there was a deposit made for the sale, but, “there are conditions under which the deposit could be refunded.” He explained he was continuing to work with the buyer to “negotiate the terms” of a sale.

“You’re trying to clean it up, and you can’t clean it up,” Gatsas fired back, referring to the specter of environmental contamination on the property, which was the site of a state-run residence for people with developmental disabilities, and later used as a state prison.

That accusation prompted Gov. Chris Sununu to ask Arlinghaus, “Do you feel confident that we’re going to get to a closing?”

“Yes,” said Arlinghaus.

“OK,” Sununu said.

“He’s said that to the council for the last five months,” retorted Gatsas.

“I’m not trying to be deceptive in any way,” Arlinghaus said. “We are negotiating in good faith with a buyer, with whom we’ve signed a purchase and sales agreement. We do not have a closing date set, but I believe we will have a closing date very soon.”

Laconia City Manager Kirk Beattie said Tuesday in an interview he agreed substantive progress was ongoing between the city, the state and the buyer. One example was a recent action at City Council in which Laconia discontinued a road on the property, one of the many details necessary to transfer the property from public to private hands.

“From the city’s standpoint, we continue to have meaningful conversations and chip away at those issues that need to be addressed,” Beattie said. — Adam Drapcho/Laconia Daily Sun

Eversource recognized for the fifth consecutive year on JUST Capital’s 2024 List

Eversource has again been named among America’s Most JUST Companies, as announced by JUST Capital and CNBC on their “JUST 100″ list. In its fifth consecutive appearance, Eversource is ranked as the No. 3 utility and No. 38, overall, on the list, which honors companies that address the business issues that matter most to Americans, including providing worker benefits and work-life balance, protecting customer privacy, and minimizing pollution.

“We are proud to be recognized by JUST Capital for the importance of our consistent commitment to our customers, our communities, and our environment, as well as the dedicated employees who work tirelessly to make it all possible through their volunteerism, efforts to advance clean energy, and in the delivery of safe, reliable energy services,” said Eversource Chairman, President and CEO Joe Nolan.

“Operating in an ethically, socially and environmentally responsible manner, doing our part to address climate change and creating an inclusive workplace that supports and empowers our employees are pillars of our fundamental mission to serve our customers and our communities – guiding our efforts every day to help lead New England as we embark on an unprecedented energy transition.”

For the annual rankings, JUST Capital collects and analyzes corporate data to evaluate the 1,000 largest public U.S. companies across 20 issues identified through comprehensive, ongoing public opinion research on Americans’ attitudes toward responsible corporate behavior.

Plans for a new Concord middle school to be built on raw land next to the Broken Ground and Mill Brook schools was chosen by members of the school board in a 6-3 vote Wednesday night. (Courtesy photo)

Middle school design contract approved for $10.3M

Concord School Board members say the $176 million price tag for a new middle school is just an estimate – but they’re already using that figure to calculate some hard costs for the project.

On Monday night, the board approved a $10.3 million contract with HMFH Architects to design the new school in East Concord based on the current cost of the project.

However, school board members promised they’d lower expenses as they continue their work.

“I would say that the $176 million is the ceiling and it’s going down,” Board President Pam Walsh said at the evening meeting. Asked by a resident whether it is a certain, firm ceiling, she responded, “That is the next phase.”

The current estimate incorporates everything that the district might want to be included in a new school, Walsh continued. A budget cannot be cemented without a detailed design.

Firm plans for the project will be developed over the next several months: the contracted firm, HMFH Architects, will partner with the board’s newly minted building committee and working groups to draw up the plans. A more firm cost estimate for the project is expected in June, the contract states.

The $10.3 million contract is derived from the estimated construction costs — $138 million of the total. The architect’s fee is 7.5% of that figure. Making up the difference are soft costs, like furniture and professional services.

Because of drastic increases in construction and labor costs and overall building values in the years following the pandemic, board members have cautioned about making direct comparisons between this project and recent ones in other communities. But, for context, a new middle school in Nashua, part of an ambitious three-school project and currently nearing completion, has a $92 million overall budget — $79 million of which is construction, according to financial reports. Its architect and engineer fees are budgeted at just under $4 million.

The Concord school district negotiated the design contract down by $1.7 million, Business Administrator Jack Dunn noted at the meeting. At the board’s request, its language also creates the ability for a pause, should the project be delayed by the state school building aid process.

Still shaken by the board’s December decision about where to locate the school, residents who spoke at the meeting were firm: the cost must come down.

“I don’t want to lose my home because I can’t afford the taxes,” said Michelle Tilton, a lifelong city resident. “I don’t want to have to move home with my family, as much as I love them. I don’t want to give up my business.”

“I just ask … that you be as transparent as possible with us,” Tilton continued. “We put our trust in you. We ask you to be very transparent with us.”

Rob Hansen, a mechanical engineer who works in construction, urged the board towards realism and prudence as plans are actualized.

“It can be cheaper and do the same things,” Hansen said. “And I hope your design team will lead you down that trail.”

The board is now seeking applications for its building committee and two of the working groups — programming, which will decide what offerings the design should support, and sustainability — all of which are set to begin meeting this month. Hansen was encouraged by the board to apply. — Catherine McLaughlin/Concord Monitor

How a zoning amendment could boost affordable housing in Exeter

A proposed zoning change that aims to create more housing and commercial opportunities beyond downtown is on the ballot for the March Town Meeting.

Town Planner Dave Sharples said the proposal encourages mixed-use development in areas with roads, water, and sewer services.

Currently, mixed-use neighborhood development is only allowed in two of the town’s five commercial districts, which include Water, Front and Lincoln streets.

The proposal would expand the zoning to Portsmouth Avenue, from Green Hill Road (where Walgreens is) to the Exeter-Stratham town line, and a portion of Epping Road, the half-mile stretch between Great Bay Kids Company to Front Row Pizzeria.

While commercial businesses are allowed along these two areas, housing is not.

The Planning Board voted on Thursday, Jan. 25, to unanimously recommend voters support the expansion of mixed-use development. Because it’s a zoning amendment, the warrant article cannot be changed during the town deliberative session and will go before voters as presented on March 12.

Sharples noted that, if approved, the amendment is only an “optional tool” for landowners. The amendment allows a maximum height of 50 feet or four stories for a new development, with the requirement that at least 10% of its housing units are affordable housing.

Courtesy of Portsmouth Herald

Why zoning amendment is being proposed?

Sharples said the decision to propose the expansion of mixed-use neighborhood development came following a discussion by Exeter officials regarding its future growth and needs.

“We really want to grow, ideally, in my opinion, in a fiscally responsible manner,” he explained. “Land use that kinda pays for itself in taxes that doesn’t ideally draw a deficit and has to be subsidized from other parts of town, in an environmentally sound way, the least impact on the natural environment.”

One way to do that, according to Sharples, is to build upwards instead of outwards.

“Exeter’s pretty developed, we’re pretty built out as far as available vacant land… most of the really nice viable land for development is under conservation now,” he said. “We’ve sprawled out across the countryside… a lot of types of land use don’t necessarily pay for themselves with the taxes they generate.”

As an example, Sharples pointed to the vacant space at 29 Front Street, across from the post office. The 3,500-square-foot land is currently on the market for $350,000.

“Say they put a commercial (business) at the bottom and six residential units up above it,” he said. “You got six residential units – you’ve not added one foot of sidewalk, you’ve not added one foot of sewer and water pipe, haven’t added any roadways – but you’ve added value.”

He said adding infrastructure to support new developments will cost the town a lot of money in the long run.

“Density and redevelopment are usually much more of a fiscal benefit to the town and taxpayers than greenfield development, meaning to sprawl across the landscape,” he said. “If you add growth without adding infrastructure, you alleviate that long-term cost associated with adding that, and you add more people to pay for the same infrastructure.”

Sharples said there are currently less than five undeveloped plots within a portion of Portsmouth Avenue and Epping Road.

“The potential is in redevelopment,” he said. “… The underlying zoning still applies; this is just an option.” — Aqeel Hisham/Portsmouth Herald

ReSource Waste Services combines with Northeast Recycling

ReSource Waste Services LLC and Northeast Recycling LLC announced that they have combined to form a responsive and customer-centered construction and demolition debris operation in New England.

Northeast Recycling, a waste hauling company based in Avon, Mass., was established in 2016 and has grown to be one of the largest independently owned commercial waste and construction and demolition debris hauling operations in New England. It provides services to customers with a variety of waste handling needs, offering multiple sizes of roll-off dumpsters and compactors. Its customers are located primarily in eastern Massachusetts, southern New Hampshire and northern Rhode Island.

ReSource Waste Services is the largest processor of construction and demolition debris in New England, with five facilities in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

“Northeast Recycling is a very well-run company with a strong team led by founder Bill Twohig, and we look forward to working with Bill to expand Northeast’s services to its existing and new customers,” said Jack Canty, President and Chief Operating Officer of ReSource Waste Services.

“I’m excited about working together with ReSource Waste and all of its capabilities to accelerate the growth of our collection business,” said Twohig, who will continue to manage the Avon-based business. Greg Leahey, Resource Waste Services’ co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer stated: “Northeast’s services will meld well with our experience and facilities, and Northeast’s customers will have ready access to a larger suite of services, including LEED-certified waste management at our Roxbury, Mass., and Lewiston, Maine, facilities, and soils solidification at our Epping, NH, facility.”

The transaction was closed on January 16, 2024; terms of the transaction were not disclosed.