Town Asks State for State Hospital Details and Documents

The town has asked the state for documents and answers associated with the former Medfield State Hospital.

The letter dated today was sent to Commissioner Carole Cornelison at the Division of Capital Asset Management from the Board of Selectmen.

Based on recommendations of the newly-formed State Hospital Redevelopment Committee, the selectmen have asked DCAM to:

-  Perform updated building surveys on a representative selection of buildings at the former hospital site including a detailed analysis of hazardous material remediation requirements and an analysis of the possibility of renovation in accordance with National Park Service rehabilitation standards applicable to historic properties;

- Provide the town with a copy of the Comprehensive Reuse Study referred to in the recent Jones Lang LaSalle report entitled “Medfield State Hospital Market Analysis Report DRAFT” dated April 20, 2012 and received three weeks ago by the town;

- Provide the town with an accounting of the costs that DCAM would like to recover in connection with the disposition of the property, and copies of the documents they have used with other towns that have purchased state properties; and

- Explore with the town the possibility of granting Medfield a transferable option to purchase the property within three years at a price to be agreed upon.

Selectman Osler Peterson said at this week’s selectmen’s meeting that the Redevelopment Committee was exploring all options, including that of a transferable option, because, “The general sense of the committee was the town shouldn’t be buying it, but the town should be controlling the use that would be made of the site.”

A detailed building analysis will help the town decide if the property is suitable for purchase.  Recent calculations have the cost of remediation near $30 million. 

Town officials also want to know which buildings are reusable and which ones the Massachusetts Historical Commission will let the town take down. 

Peterson said that DCAM officials have said they want to recoup some of the expenses they have incurred on the property.

“We need to know what it will cost and what we can do,” Peterson said.

Town Administrator Michael Sullivan also noted that the sale of any parcel of state property more than 50 acres in size must be approved by the state Legislature.