Bernard Asking That Johnson School Be Declared Surplus
The Berkshire Eagle reports mayor Bernard will ask the City Council on Tuesday to add two more properties to the list of municipal properties for sale.
The single-family home at 367 Houghton St. was turned over to the city recently as part of the assets of Housing Opportunities Inc. but Johnson School dates back nearly a century and quarter and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The building is contains about 33,000 square feet including the basement and is assessed at $914,300.
The Houghton Street home has been vacant for a few years. It was part of the Housing Opportunities for first-time home-buyers operated through the North Adams Housing Authority. HOI is in the process of transferring its assets to the city so it can dissolve.
In a letter to the mayor, Community Development Director Michael Nuvallie said he and Assessor Ross Vivori had toured the property and found it in fair condition but "in need of moderate repairs." They set the value at $70,000, below the last assessment of $127,000. Any proceeds would return to the city's CDBG account.
The past two administrations have endeavored to divest the city of surplus properties with limited results. Of the five or six properties for sale, only one — for the old city yard on Ashland Street — has had a completed purchase. The administration also expects to solicit requests for the Mohawk Theater.
Also on the City Council's agenda are several appointments, two proclamations and a request for a $3,000 transfer from the Tinker Fund.
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