4 possible buyers eye school building

BROOKLIN — Boats on the basketball court? Bedrooms instead of classrooms?

Selectman Frank Parson said Wednesday that four parties have expressed interest in the junior high school building that will become vacant this fall when the town’s new kindergarten-to-grade-eight school opens.

The only one of the four potential buyers to make his interest public is Steve White, owner of the Brooklin Boat Yard. Contacted Wednesday, White said he and a partner are considering turning the building into a marine supply store.

“There’s also the possibility of doing boat building in the downstairs gymnasium area,” White said. He envisions creating two to four new jobs in sales and boat building should he buy the place.

A couple, who Parson would not identify, is considering renovating the school into a residence. A third potential buyer would use it for offices and storage, and a publishing company from outside the area also has expressed interest.

Before selling the building, probably this spring, the selectmen must resolve an issue concerning the property’s eastern boundary. According to Parson, a surveyor who studied various deeds discovered that descriptions of the property lines may be too vague to allow a buyer clear title to the 3-acre parcel.

If the selectmen and abutter Winslow Bowden can agree on boundaries, new surveys can be commissioned and reciprocal deeds drafted to solve the problem, Parson said.

Because the process may involve the town giving up or receiving a small bit of land, a town meeting and vote must be held to ensure that residents approve. The selectmen hope to resolve the boundary issue in time for the annual town meeting May 20.

Once that issue is settled, the selectmen will accept and rank proposals from potential buyers of the school property. The bids then will go before a seven-member advisory board for review. Parson hopes the two bodies will agree on which proposal would serve the town’s best interest.

Advisory board members are Charlie Butterfield and Stu Flanders of the planning board, Deborah Brewster and Wade Dow of the school board and Gerry Gray of the school building committee. At-large members are Bob Austin and June Eaton.