Miracle Farms supports Gale School project

BELMONT — Miracle Farms, a full-service lawn and landscape design, build and maintenance company located in Moultonborough, has purchased $30,000 in New Hampshire business tax credits to support the redevelopment of the Gale School in Belmont. The project will transform the historic schoolhouse into a community facility that will include on the second floor a new program center for Lakes Region Community Services.

“As a local business, we believe it is our responsibility to be leaders in our community by giving back and making a difference,” said Chris Maroun, president of Miracle Farms. “We are proud to support the Gale School project because it will enable Lakes Region Community Services to expand their reach, helping more families in the region thrive.”

“The Gale School will be a great location for our new satellite program center,” said Rebecca Bryant, president & CEO of LRCS. “We will be able to offer our full range of programming to new families and to existing clients who will find it more convenient.”

Lakes Region Community Developers is the developer for the project. LRCD and LRCS are partnering to sell the tax credits to local businesses. They have $516,000 left to sell in order to move ahead with construction, which could start as early as next summer if fundraising is successful. Businesses interested in purchasing tax credits for the Gale School project should contact Carmen Lorentz at LRCD by calling 603-524-0747, ext. 110.

The Gale School was built in 1894, and was used by the Belmont school district until the mid-1980s. The building has been mostly vacant since then, and years of neglect have taken their toll. The Gale School was named to the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places in 2018, and was selected as one of New Hampshire’s Seven to Save in 2017.

In July 2020, the building was successfully moved by the local Save Our Gale School Committee to a new location at 60 Concord Street in Belmont Village. LRCD agreed to partner with SOGS to redevelop the building.

The tax credits are administered by New Hampshire Community Development Finance Authority. Any business with operations in NH that contributes to a CDFA tax credit project receives a NH state tax credit worth 75% of their contribution. The credit can be used over a period of five years to reduce the business’ state tax liability (business profits, business

enterprise or insurance premium taxes). The tax credit program allows NH businesses to redirect a significant portion of their state tax dollars to support local projects that they care about.

CDFA reviews many project applications each year and awards tax credits to those they determine are feasible and will make the biggest impact on economic development in the state. LRCD was awarded $750,000 in credits for the Gale School project, and has sold $234,000 to date.

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