HADLEY — Two developers are interested in purchasing North Hadley Village Hall from the town, but it is uncertain whether any deal will be possible as both plans for renovating the historic building include using the adjacent ballfield.
The Select Board learned Wednesday that Peter Heronemus of Hadley submitted a $70,000 bid for the 239 River Drive property and Historic Renovations and Rental Properties Ltd., managed by Joel Greenbaum of Amherst, submitted a $50,000 offer.
Town Administrator David Nixon explained that both proposals for use of the 19th-century building incorporate the green space, even though bidders had been informed that this area between the village hall and the North Hadley Congregational Church would not be part of any transaction.
The problem, Select Board Chairman Christian Stanley said, is that the town cannot sell the ballfield based on Town Meeting opting against removing the permanent protection it has under Article 97 of the state Constitution.
Even if this restriction were not in place, Select Board members expressed skepticism that the town would be getting enough money for the building, which was constructed as a schoolhouse in 1864 and has an attached 1950s-era two-bay garage.
In January, when the town approved an arrangement with Stiles & Dunn for marketing the property, board members asked the real estate firm to prepare to list it for $299,000.
Board member David J. Fill II said he is not comfortable selling land with frontage on Lake Warner for so low a price, while member John Waskiewicz said that the assessed value is more than $240,000. He said he had hoped the town could get closer to $100,000 in any sale.
“That would seem fair. But on the other hand, I would hate to see it knocked down,” Waskiewicz said.
The Heronemus proposal would convert the first floor of the building, last used as the offices for the Park and Recreation Department and the North Hadley branch library, into an open space music hall, where concerts and other events could be staged, and the upstairs into three apartments. The addition, which has been used as a fire substation, would be turned into a workshop.
The Select Board did not examine the Greenbaum proposal, though it is likely similar to one that features apartments and which he previously presented in 2016. Greenbaum told the board that he would invest $1.2 million in the project, but that the building is worthless without the ability to use the green space as parking.
Hadley Building Commissioner Timothy Neyhart questioned how anyone could reuse the building without parking.
A nonbinding vote by residents in June gave support to demolishing the building if no buyer is found. The Select Board will continue discussions on how to proceed at its Sept. 4 meeting.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com