- Hopedale Town Hall, built in 1886, is being sold due to the prohibitive $20 million cost of renovations and ADA compliance.
- Town officials are seeking proposals for redevelopment that preserve the building’s historical character while benefiting the community.
- Town offices will move to 54 Hopedale St. in October.
The 19th century Hopedale Town Hall building is on the block.
Facing an estimated $20 million bill to renovate the structure and get it in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, town officials have instead authorized it for sale and put out a request for proposals due Sept 1.
Voters approved the plan back in May during annual Town Meeting.
“We wanted a blank slate,” Town Administrator Mitch Riscitti told the Daily News. “It’s a unique building for prospective buyers to come in and take a look at and present their vision to the town. From there, look at what is most beneficial, given the downtown proximity to everything.”
Redevelopment options could include mixed-use housing and commercial space, the town administrator said.
Town officials want the building redeveloped in a way that preserves its historic nature and serves the community in the most effective way. Ruscitti said the town’s priority is finding projects that contribute the most to the downtown community.
Town offices will be relocated in October to suites at 54 Hopedale St.
Town Hall deemed ‘no longer suitable’ for work, meeting space
Hopedale Town Hall, at 78 Hopedale St., was built in 1886 with the financial support of George Draper, a local textile manufacturing magnate. The building was constructed using Milford granite and brownstone trim, and officially opened in 1887.
In 2011, a proposal for comprehensive renovation work was rejected at Town Meeting, as was a proposal to relocate town offices to Adin Street.
More than a decade later, the building was determined to be no longer suitable for town employees or public use.
“The town is committed to providing a safe work environment and meeting space for both employees and the public,” Ruscitti said in a press released issued on July 17. “In meeting with the health director and building commissioner, it became apparent that the building was no longer suitable for those purposes.”
‘Town had no money’: Hopedale approves $1.35 million override to balance town budget
In the press release, Ruscitti said renovating Town Hall to meet modern and ADA standards would cost an estimated $20 million. The building’s age has led to significant infrastructure issues, including the HVAC system, environmental concerns such as asbestos, lack of heat and plumbing problems.
Ruscitti noted the town is “not in a financial position” to make such repairs, and is instead prioritizing infrastructure projects that serve larger numbers of people, such as schools. Hopedale, with a small tax base, has struggled with municipal finances in recent years. Two years ago, a $1.35 million override was needed to keep its library and senior center open.
Beyond Full planning to relocate
Beyond Full, a popular cafe and diner, has operated its business at Town Hall since 2019, and will be forced to move after the building changes hands.
Edward Cerow, the restaurant’s general manager and head chef, said plans are to relocate to a larger space. Cerow, who grew up in Hopedale, added that might mean a temporary closure, which will hurt business.
“At the end of the day we’re going to make it work,” he said. “Hopefully, it will be a good thing and we can get a bigger location with more business. It’s a Hopedale icon (Town Hall) for sure. After we heard they were selling it, I was definitely heartbroken, because it has been such a staple.
Ruscitti said that while a new Town Hall building would certainly be beneficial, it’s not part of the immediate plans due to the town’s small staff and the lack of an urgent need. Town offices will remain in the current building until October.
- Hopedale officials say they received no bids for the purchase and redevelopment of the historic Town Hall building.
- Renovating the 1886 structure to meet modern standards is estimated to cost up to $20 million.
- Town officials are considering next steps, which may include reopening the bidding process or hiring a municipal auction firm.
Hopedale’s Town Hall is still in search of a buyer after the town received no bids to purchase and redevelop the historic building.
The Town Hall building, at 78 Hopedale St., was facing an estimated $20 million renovation cost to bring it into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Town officials said that figure was not financially feasible for the financially strapped community, and voters approved a plan to sell the property during the May 2025 annual Town Meeting.
Bids were due at 10 a.m. on Sept. 1, but Town Administrator Mitch Ruscitti told the Daily News the following day that the town did not receive any proposals.
“We had a lot of initial interest, a lot of people pull the RFP, we had a good showing at the site walkthrough,” Ruscitti said. “I think when it came down to the prospect of redevelopment for different uses, housing seemed to be a focus, (but) the numbers just didn’t work with the number of units that could fit in the space would be my guess.”
What’s next to be discussed at Sept. 8 Select Board meeting
Ruscitti said the issue will be discussed during the next Select Board meeting on Sept. 8, with options including reopening the bidding process with more advertising to cast a wider net to potential bidders. Another possibility includes contacting a firm that specializes in municipal auctions.
In 2011, a proposal for renovation work was rejected by voters at Town Meeting.
The Town Hall building was constructed in 1886 with the financial support of George Draper, a local textile manufacturing magnate. It officially opened in 1887. But the building’s age has led to several infrastructure issues including the HVAC system, environmental concerns such as asbestos, lack of heat and plumbing problems.
Town offices are scheduled to be relocated in October to suites at 54 Hopedale St.
Beyond Full, a cafe and diner that operates out of Town Hall, has said it plans to seek a new and larger space.
Hopedale didn’t receive any formal bids by its Sept. 1 deadline to purchase the historic Town Hall building, but Town Administrator Mitch Ruscitti revealed during a Monday, Sept. 8, Select Board meeting that a “reputable party” has expressed interest.
Ruscitti said during the meeting that the prospective buyer is someone who owns several local properties. He said the party, who has not been named, will meet with the Select Board and visit the site next week.
Other options discussed Monday include either bringing Town Hall to an auction house or hiring a broker who specializes in municipal buildings. Ruscitti said the town remains open to any new proposals, as long as they meet the criteria discussed at Town Meeting in May, when voters approved the sale and redevelopment of the 1886 building.
The main deterrent to prospective buyers — and a key reason why Hopedale is seeking to sell — is that the building faces up to $20 million in necessary renovations to get into in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as address structural and HVAC issues.
Bids were accepted for seven weeks, but none was received by the town’s Sept. 1 deadline.
Also on Monday, town officials discussed a tax package that would involve offering an incentive for a project that benefits the town long term, such as a housing development. As part of the package, the developer would receive a temporary exemption from paying the full approved property tax value. This is intended to offset the financial gap between the cost of development and the rental numbers, Ruscitti said.
Combination with sale of Route 16 project considered
Select Board Chair Scott Savage, suggested combining the Town Hall building sale with a proposed housing development on Route 16.
“The end use is going to be the same on both properties,” he said. “It’s going to likely be housing and some component might be affordable over there. Potentially first floor commercial, so they are similar in what the end use of the property is going to be.”
Ruscitti added that affordable housing is a strong consideration for both projects because the town has not yet reached the 10% affordability threshold required to thwart so-called 40B projects.
If this is deemed to be not feasible, Savage suggested moving forward with an auction, despite the potential for the town to lose control over future use of the historic building.
Board to revisit previous interest and meet with new prospective buyer
Select Board member Glenda Hazard suggested that Ruscitti revisit interest shown during earlier in the bidding process. Before the Sept. 1 deadline, the building had received significant interest from buyers, including site visits and requests for the Request for Proposals (RFP). However, Ruscitti said those prospective buyers could have been hesitant due to the high cost of redevelopment and requirements needed for housing units.
The board ultimately decided to meet with the “reputable party” and to follow up with those who previously expressed interest. The issue will continue to be discussed at future meetings.
Ruscitti stressed the importance of coming to a conclusion in coming months. After three months of inactivity, the building’s insurer may consider the site abandoned, which would increase costs for the town.
The Town Hall building, at 78 Hopedale St., was constructed in 1886 with the financial support of George Draper, a local textile manufacturing magnate. It officially opened a year later. But the building’s age has led to several infrastructure issues including the HVAC system, environmental concerns such as asbestos, lack of heat and plumbing problems.
Town offices are scheduled to be relocated in October to suites at 54 Hopedale St.
Beyond Full, a cafe and diner that operates out of Town Hall, has said it plans to seek a new and larger space.
Hopedale officials plan to put out a second request for proposal, or RFP, in an effort to sell their historic Town Hall building, but this time with a twist: The RFP will ask prospective developers for input on what kinds of tax incentives would make the building more enticing to buy.
The future of Hopedale’s Town Hall building, at 78 Hopedale St., has been a topic of discussion since residents voted in May to sell the building. An initial effort to solicit bids was unsuccessful, with no formal submission received by the Sept. 1 deadline. Town Administrator Mitch Ruscitti said several developers have since expressed interest, though none has submitted a bid, which he said is due to the building’s condition, size (about 21,500 square feet) and the effort required to transform the site into housing units.
“The size of the building and the footprint on which it rests does not allow for enough units for housing, market rate, to be installed to make that return on investment (ROI) number palatable to developers,” Ruscitti told the Daily News.
Administrator says tax incentive would boost interest
Built in 1886, the building faces numerous infrastructure issues, including HVAC concerns and necessary renovations to meet ADA compliance. The estimated cost to bring the building up to modern standards is estimated at nearly $20 million, which influenced the town to put the building up for sale and seek redevelopment.
Ruscitti said he has heard from multiple parties who indicated they would be more interested in submitting a proposal if a tax incentive were included.
During a Select Board meeting on Oct. 1, Ruscitti explained that the tax incentive would help offset the cost of redevelopment, and improve the project’s financial feasibility. Under a tax incentive, a developer would pay taxes on the base value of the building, rather than on its value following renovations.
While town offices have officially moved to a new space at 54 Hopedale St., Ruscitti said there are municipal employees in both locations to maintain a presence in the original Town Hall.
Beyond Full closes Hopedale restaurant
Beyond Full, a restaurant that had operated on the first floor of Town Hall since 2019, has closed its Hopedale location. The closure was announced in a Sept. 8 Facebook post in which owners said they were “actively exploring the possibility of opening a new location in the area.
On Tuesday, Oct. 28, owner Richard Yancey told the Daily News that he found out about the Town Hall closure from town staff a month before he would have to close and relocate. He hopes to open a new location in the area, preferably in Hopedale but possibly in Bellingham or Milford.
“The thing about the Hopedale Town Hall is that it’s such a historic building that it had a lot of beautiful features to it,” Yancey said. “It was a nice location. To try to mimic that will be a tough one because those historical buildings had their own character.”
He said he’s looking for a place that can hold 45-50 people and be able to draw foot traffic, as well be close enough to keep its established customers. Beyond Full also operates a restaurant in Cambridge.
Yancey said Hopedale customers were disappointed about the closure but have been supportive.
“They’re great people and it’s a sad situation,” he said. “It was something that was out of our control and we hold no ill will with anyone.”
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