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SPRINGFIELD Interested in restoring a 4,000 square foot Victorian home that sits on a half-acre lot in the historic Hill-McKnight neighborhood? If so, the city wants to hear from you. Robert McCarroll, chair of the Springfield Historical Commission, explained to Reminder Publications the city is looking for developers to purchase the home at 52 Westminster St. for only $1,000, but the property is far from the real estate term of a "handy man's fixer-upper." Open houses have been scheduled for June 20 at 6 p.m., and June 23 at 1 p.m. McCarroll said the property has only come into the city's possession in the last three months. Previously a church owned the home and had allowed it to be vacant for more than a decade. The result is the home needs a new roof, and, in some rooms, ceilings and floors need to be repaired due to water damage. Thieves have stripped the home of its plumbing and electrical wiring. "It's a total rehab," he said. Built in 1882, the one-time single family home was converted into a church during the 1930s. McCarroll said many of the walls were removed on the first floor to create a large space for religious services. McCarroll said the open space might appeal to some owners, while other might want to restore the walls. Because of this conversion it's difficult to say just how many rooms the house originally had, but now McCarroll said there are 12 rooms over three floors. McCarroll said the house still has some plaster medallions on its high ceilings, original woodwork and Queen Anne windows. The Springfield Preservation Trust has cleaned up the property and has advertised the home in Worcester and Hartford, Conn. McCarroll said these ads have generated interest from out-of-town developers as well as local people. Potential owners must fill out a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the property. McCarroll said city officials need to know the background of the buyer, the contractors that would do the work, how the rehabilitation is going to funded, and whether the property, once restored, is going to be an owner-occupied house, restored for speculation or a rental property. As head of the Historical Commission, McCarroll said his preference would be to see the house restored by someone who intends to live there. He said there is a possibility the Zoning Board of Appeals might consider dividing the home into a two- family unit, which might make it more attractive to some developers. McCarroll said that making an affordable housing unit out of part of the house might qualify developers to receive assistance from the city. Depending upon the developer and the planned use, other funding or tax credits might be available. The RFP packages are available at the Springfield Purchasing Department at City Hall. Proposals are due back August 15. For more information on the RFP, call 787-6284. If the city fails to find a suitable developer, the house might be demolished, although McCarroll said the structure is structurally sound. |
