From: Barbara Bishop To: Bill Roth Subject: Rogers school Date: Monday, November 14, 2016 2:30:49 PM Hi Bill I cannot come to the meeting on the 15th so I wanted to make a few comments instead. I have seen some old school buildings turned into condos and they are generally beautiful! What would be really nice is condos that were geared toward older, single people who are downsizing and only need a studio or one bedroom apartment (like Moi). I am sure you realize how few apartments are available in Fairhaven. Of course, I would expect an elevator and air conditioning! It would be great if the town could fund the development and then recoup the money through sales, keeping out a profit-making developer. Eventually, another building or buildings could be added--I myself am fond of tiny houses! Part of the land could be kept for park. If this is not economically feasible, then I would favor taking the building down, saving pieces for other uses, saving some park land, and selling the rest. Whatever is built there, however, needs to fit in with the character of the center of town, so I would hope the town could put some restrictions on the land use (no commercial, no McMansions!). Another thought: turn the land into community garden space. I certainly hope the small, ugly, add-on buildings will disappear soon! Anyway, dream on. Barbara From: Elizabeth Grace Delano-Dykas To: Bill Roth Subject: Rogers School Public Meeting Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2016 8:56:54 PM Hello, My name is Elizabeth Delano, and I attended the meeting earlier tonight at the Town Hall regarding the future use of Rogers School. After listening to all of the comments made by my fellow residents, I wanted to add some thoughts. First, I grew up in Fairhaven, and I am a former student of Rogers School. I currently live with my husband and two small children (ages 4 and 2) just blocks away. Years ago, I was devastated to learn that the school was being closed. I had dreamed my future children would attend Rogers just like I did. In my opinion, the school should absolutely not be torn down or sold to a 3rd party. It is integral to the culture and character of the neighborhood and the town. It is why many of us remain here or move back home to raise our families. First, I would like to see the school remain a neighborhood school - I believe this is the best possible outcome - to use the school as it was originally intended. While many expressed the need for a Kindergarten and First Grade, many also expressed concerns about profits (I am a tax accountant/accounting professor so I completely understand their concerns). Along with using Rogers for K and 1st, if there is additional room, I would propose the school create a for-profit daycare, and/or pre-k for 3 and 4 year olds and a before and after care program. Many families, like mine, have two working parents. We are sending our son to St. Joseph's because of the before and after care. Also, the half day preschool with a lottery makes it all but impossible for working families. I believe we want to encourage working professionals to move to the area. This would be a great selling point for the community and help keep housing prices high. During the evening and/or weekends, the school could be used for adult educational courses. I know there are many professionals who are always looking for accounting/tax courses. If it isn't feasible for the building to remain a school, then I believe a museum/tourist center with town offices on the second floor would also be ideal. The bottom line is that the building should be retained by the town. Lastly, I was concerned to hear about the emphasis placed on the cost of old buildings versus new. Of course older buildings are less efficient and cost more to maintain. However, older buildings provide children (and adults) with character. I will never forget my days at Rogers and Fairhaven High. I personally grew up in an 1850 home on Spring Street, and now I live in an 1830 home on Union Street. This town made me love history and art and made me appreciate culture. Tearing down or selling a building as gorgeous and stunning as Rogers School will strip our children of the character and community that we were fortunate enough to be a part of. The costs may be high, but the benefits are so much greater. Thank you, Elizabeth Delano 508.207.6080 From: In-House Custom To: Bill Roth Subject: Rogers school Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2016 6:52:36 PM I'd like to formally express interest in purchasing and converting Rogers School to a boutique hotel with attached Nano Brewery. Would be a growler filling location with tasting room. It would hold true to style and history of the property I thinks it's real value would lye in that it would give the community a location to gather in the center of town. There could be outside enjoyment in the summer months and inside activities in the winter months. There are town silent investors that have expressed interest in investing. Thank you, Adam Katz 508-264-6679 Sent from my iPhone From: LeBlanc To: Bill Roth Subject: ROGERS SCHOOL Date: Tuesday, November 15, 2016 4:32:23 PM To whom it may concern I am a Roger School neighbor but am not sure I can make the meeting tonight. I went to Rogers school and now live nearby on the corner of south and laurel and am very concerned about the outcome of the building. We, and I mean my family and all nearby neighbors do not want low income housing in this building. This is a family friendly neighborhood with a median house price of $300,000 I can only imagine low income housing will decrease our homes value. Sorry to be so honest. I would love to see the visitor center relocated there since it is closer to library, town hall, and many other historical sites. Please keep the playground as is as it is a great place for all the neighborhood children to go. I do not care if it becomes a museum, visitor center or educational building of some sort but will be very upset if housing goes there! Sincerely, April Soares From: Bradydoug To: Bill Roth; Mark Rees Cc: Bob Espindola; [email protected]; Daniel Freitas Subject: Public suggestions on Rogers school use Date: Wednesday, November 16, 2016 12:47:22 PM Dear Mr. Roth: You asked for input on the building and I would like to add mine. I feel the town should retain the building for municipal use. Over time tear down the 60's addition. The building had been overall neglected for many years prior to the closing by the school department and little money put into the upkeep needed for such a building unlike town hall. Each year a project is done at the town hall to keep the building up. We will find out some true ideas of the initial cost, from Kirk & co. but even then, those costs could be spread out into phases and not necessarily all done right away. Ideas for the building.... EMA can move in there. A much needed cable access location and space, school administration building, ( sell the current building and put into the Rogers),offices for a growing town hall and already cramped quarters and storage, a town museum run by the historical society, a town tourism office, use a designated area as lease space for small businesses that are not big enough to have office space and could rent a day / time slot to hold meeting ( for a fee of course),same for using it to be rented out space, wedding, functions different venues. The town is facing a school over crowding issue. Has anyone weighed in with them? Maybe a pre-school, kindergarten, 1st grade. Funding: the cable company pays a large amount of money each year to the town to fund cable access, ( of which we currently have over $900,000 plus) some of that can be used to maintain the building each year. We consolidated our schools, do the same with some of our other town buildings. This will save the cost of maintaining them and the payroll of keeping them open. This can be now put into the Rogers yearly funding. A few 100 k can quickly add up to a yearly maint fee. Initial Project: phased over time. The town hall did not suddenly look like it does today. It takes time and phases to keep the building up. A long term vision. Historic grants, green rehab grants, rehab old school grants, federal grants obviously must be sought to the initial phase. We should retain Kirk & Co the navigate through getting these grants since they are the professionals and know of them all and what to do to get them. It will be a cost to get the building up.... yet to be determined but yearly maintenance can be achieved We have seen that there is no serious interest in the current way the building is...either way we have to get it up to par and then see if there is any way to retain the building or any real legitimate possible of outside development. One that will not diminish the neighborhood and community.