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Housing emerged as the top choice for the former Coffin School property in an online poll created by the Marblehead Independent, with green space and community or cultural centers also drawing significant support as the town received three formal proposals for the site’s redevelopment.
Of 261 responses submitted between Oct. 17 and Nov. 2, 87 respondents selected housing as their preferred use for the 1.613-acre property at 1 Turner Road. 84 favored green space, 39 chose a community or cultural center, 22 supported mixed-use development, 14 selected municipal use, and 15 respondents chose “other.”
The results coincide with the town’s formal request for information, which drew responses from three entities by the Oct. 30 deadline: the Marblehead Cemetery Commission, the Marblehead Housing Authority and Harborlight Homes, a regional affordable housing nonprofit.
The town is preparing for a community listening session Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Abbot Hall Select Board Room, where officials will present an overview of the site and planning context while gathering additional community input.
The request for information outlined key redevelopment goals, emphasizing production of affordable housing with a preference for older adults aged 62 and above. The town specified all affordable units must meet requirements for inclusion in the state Department of Housing and Community Development’s Subsidized Housing Inventory.
The town also seeks a financially feasible project that can be maintained without continued financial assistance from the town and a development that fits the character of the neighborhood while respecting narrow streets and constrained access.
The 1948 brick school contains about 26,000 square feet of finished space (roughly 30,000 sf total including the annex), and it’s assessed at $3.39 million. A capital needs assessment identified $260,848 in critical repairs, primarily for windows and doors, plus $991,098 in 20-year capital needs including a new boiler, HVAC upgrades and interior refurbishments. The assessment does not include ADA accessibility upgrades necessary for public use.
The property is currently in a residential district, but the town indicated willingness to consider zoning changes or special permits to accommodate various types of housing. Officials expressed no preference between adaptive reuse of the existing building or demolition and new construction.
“Our goal is to develop and preserve healthy, safe, affordable, and attainable housing for all,” the request for proposals reads. “This includes homeowners and renters alike, from low-income residents to growing families, and from seniors who wish to remain in their homes to those seeking to downsize into smaller houses or apartments.”
Town open to multiple uses
Beyond the three formal proposals received through the request for information process, four town departments submitted expressions of interest for the property in August.
The Marblehead Municipal Light Department expressed interest in the site for battery storage. Parks and Recreation is interested in creating a dog park. The Cemetery Department is exploring expansion. The Marblehead Housing Authority, which also submitted a formal proposal, expressed interest in creating more affordable housing units.
“We’d be crazy not to” express interest in the property, said Cathy Hoog, executive director of the housing authority, in a Marblehead Housing Committee meeting. “It’s a great piece of property. There’s a lot of need.”
Community Development and Planning Director Brendan Callahan has said housing options for town employees, active adult communities and veterans housing “seem to have a lot of community support on both sides.”
The town’s 2020 Housing Production Plan found changing demographics point toward the need for expanded and diversified housing opportunities, particularly lower-cost options for working-age young adults and seniors. While many affluent households reside in Marblehead (about 8,000), 29 percent of households have low income, including half of single-person senior households and half of renter-occupied households. Two-thirds of low-income households are cost-burdened, spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing, according to the plan.
Evaluating proposals
An evaluation committee comprising the town administrator, two Community Planning and Development staff members and two Select Board members will review the submitted proposals beginning in November. The committee may request additional information from respondents and invite them to appear for interviews.
The committee will review submissions, may request interviews and will present options to the community before drafting a request for proposals.
Select Board member Moses Grader emphasized the importance of establishing clear criteria for evaluating proposals and ensuring transparency in the selection process. Zisson agreed, noting neighbors requested a transparent scoring system.
After the meetings in November, the Planning Department will draft recommendations on the best uses for the property based on all input collected. Officials expect to present recommendations to the Select Board around the end of the year or early 2026.
The Select Board will ultimately decide whether to issue a request for proposals for development of the site, potentially in January, though officials noted other factors could affect that timeline.
Any development will require permits from the planning board and planning department, which can impose conditions on construction hours, dust control and other site requirements to address neighbor concerns.
The town created a webpage for the project at tr.ee/luz0B0. A Nov. 13 listening session is scheduled, and community members can contact the Department of Community Development and Planning at CDP@marbleheadma.gov with questions.
