For Sale at a Discount: Richmond’s Historic, Vacant Old City Hall | Central Berkshires

RICHMOND — Nearly a year after it went on the market, the original city hall, built in 1922 on land deeded to the city in 1796 for a small meeting house, is now being offered at a steep discount.

The historic building has been vacant since last October, when the new $8.3 million city hall and library opened next to Richmond Consolidated School on State Road (Route 41).

The old city hall was first put on the market last April with a minimum bid of $75,000. City administrator Danielle Fillio has now put out a new request for bids with a minimum bid of $25,000. She is also the city’s purchasing manager.

“We didn’t get any interest in April,” Fillio told The Eagle this week. “We asked people what their intentions were for the property. Since there was no interest, we decided to make it a little easier for people and not ask them to give us all kinds of details. We lowered the minimum bid to $25,000 just to get more people interested.”

The city is also working with a real estate broker, Brenda Durant of Lamacchia Realty in Dalton, to try to generate more interest.

“I’m hopeful, really,” Fillio said. “Maybe the lower minimum bid will attract more people to come see the property, and having a real estate agent might give us more exposure to what other people are looking for, that’s a plus too. She can help us get the word out and get organized.”

A potentially interested bidder could make an appointment directly with Fillio or Durant to carry out a site visit.

Although the property is located in the city’s residential/agricultural zone, the ideal use would be as office space, Fillio said.

“It is the buyer’s responsibility to ensure that what they want to do with the building is permitted and to obtain all the appropriate permits,” she added.

For example, a proposed commercial business would require a petition to the city’s zoning board of appeals to determine if it is a permitted use.

The deadline for receipt of solicited proposals is October 11 at 1:30 p.m., at which time the bids received will be opened at the new city hall. The request for bids is subject to state law and procedures relating to the disposition of municipal buildings.

The property is valued at $224,800, according to a recent municipal assessment, and the estimated value, based on a September 15, 2023 inspection, is $190,000.

“The property has been declared surplus and will be sold to the person submitting the most advantageous proposal, if it is in the best interest of the city,” the request for proposals stated. Any sale would require approval by the city council.

At a special town meeting last October, voters gave the town council the power to sell, lease or dispose of the old town hall. It is adjacent to the Congregational Church building, which is also for sale with an asking price of $595,000.

Until the old city hall is sold, the city must pay insurance on it as a vacant building.

Several businesses are located along the State Road/Route 41 corridor, including The Inn at Richmond, The Inn at Kenmore Hall and Richmond Telephone Co.