State School redevelopment could start in spring

LACONIA — Construction work for the first phase of the redevelopment of the former Laconia State School complex could get under way next spring, provided all the preliminary planning studies are complete and the necessary funding is in hand, according to the head of the panel that is overseeing the effort.

George Bald, chairman of the Lakeshore Redevelopment Planning Commission, said Wednesday it is especially important that the panel secure $1 million needed to match the $1 million grant it recently received.

As a condition of the $1 million grant from the Northern Border Regional Commission, the Lakeshore commission must raise the same amount from other sources to fund road construction, utility lines and parking areas.

Bald expects the matching funds will come from a combination of state money and other other grant sources. He said he hoped to have the matching amount in hand sometime in October or November.

The $2 million will be used to install new infrastructure for between five and six acres adjacent to Route 106.

That work would consist of improvements to an existing sewer line, the construction of an initial 500-foot portion of what eventually would be a main road through the redevelopment area, as well as installation of two auxiliary roads and a multi-use path.

The improvements will be for what the commission envisions will be the development of a retail and office complex which would include a restaurant and a food production and processing facility.

During Monday’s meeting the commission was told that the removal of contaminated soil from two areas on the 235-acre site should be completed early next month, according to commission Vice Chair Robert Cheney.

An environmental assessment on the presence of hazardous materials in 28 buildings on the site is continuing. Cheney said the commission expects to receive the final report in about a month. The assessment is expected to detail the extent of the presence of lead paint, asbestos, mold, and PCBs in the buildings.

Cheney also reported the commission authorized a Maine firm to submit a proposal to conduct an archaeological sensitivity study of the State School site.

Bald said the study is important because it would allow a developer interested in renovating a building to be eligible for historic tax credits, which could help finance the building’s rehabilitation.

Bald said he would be meeting with city planning officials in the coming months to see how the city’s performance zoning regulations will affect development at the State School site.

Performance zoning allows local boards to waive rules in order to pave the way for a project deemed helpful for the city.

Noting the progress the commission has made in recent months, Bald said he and others on the commission are especially grateful for the support the panel has received from U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Gov. Chris Sununu, and the state Department of Business and Economic Development.