MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Tuesday night, the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) voted to designate the former Hallsville School as a surplus property, allowing the city to lease the building.
The vote came as part of a vote to suspend the board’s rules, which would normally send the surplus property recommendation to the BMA’s Lands and Buildings Committee for a final recommendation before final approval at the full board.
That decision came due to a letter to the board from Manchester Planning and Community Development Director Jeffrey Belanger’s report that a committee created to review proposals on what to do with the property. In the letter, Belanger said the committee recommended a proposal from Southern New Hampshire Services (SNHS) and Granite State Children’s Alliance (GSCA).
In the proposal, the city would lease the building to SNHS and GSCA for 30 years at a cost of $1 per year, allowing GSCA to operate a child advocacy center for adolescent victims of crime, a classroom and 20 units of senior housing.
Manchester Parks & Recreation will retain use and management of the gymnasium for community events, including a pickleball league currently meeting on Tuesdays & Thursdays.
Given the building’s location in the R-2 Zoning District, SNHS and GSCA will still require relief from the city’s zoning ordinance from the Manchester Zoning Board of Appeals and site plan approval from the Manchester Planning Board to operate the child counseling, elementary education and dwelling units at the property.
A community meeting will be held on Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. at the school to discuss the SNHS/GSCA proposal.
“Hallsville School is an important part of our City’s history,” said Mayor Joyce Craig. “By leasing it to Southern New Hampshire Services and Granite State Children’s Alliance, we are ensuring this historic building is preserved, meets the needs of our community, and is a compliment to the neighborhood. There will be a lot of work ahead, and we will continue to involve the neighbors in the process as we move forward.”
“Southern New Hampshire Services and Granite State Children’s Alliance want to work cooperatively with the Hallsville community,” said Ward 7 Alderman Mary Health. “They respect the school’s multigenerational history and will continue Hallsville‘s commitment to serving children and families.”