After nearly a year of studying redevelopment possibilities for the former Coffin School property, the Select Board on Wednesday began shaping the request for proposals that will determine the site’s future.
The board did not issue an RFP Wednesday but instead directed Brendan Callahan, who leads the town’s Community Development and Planning Department, to prepare a draft for review at its first meeting in August after members debated how much guidance developers should receive on housing, open space and other community priorities.
“The goal was to get the green light and move on the RFP,” Callahan told the board. “I think I got a lot of good feedback and input from the board.”
Months of planning
Callahan outlined the work the town has completed since fall 2025 to better understand potential reuse of the roughly 3-acre property.
Town departments were first invited to submit expressions of interest. Ideas included cemetery expansion, affordable housing from the Marblehead Housing Authority, a dog park from the Recreation and Parks Department and battery storage from the Marblehead Municipal Light Department. Nonprofit developer Harborlight Homes also submitted a concept for a 42-unit affordable housing development.
The town then held community engagement meetings, where residents expressed concerns about the scale and density of redevelopment, traffic impacts and preserving neighborhood character while also supporting senior, workforce and affordable housing.
The town also evaluated environmental conditions at the site, including asbestos- and lead-containing materials. Callahan said demolishing the former school’s annex is estimated to cost between $340,000 and $460,000, while demolishing the entire building would cost about $1.2 million.
This winter and spring, the town partnered with the University of Connecticut to evaluate feasible redevelopment options, including site planning, landscaping and permitting constraints.
Callahan said zoning will be one of the most important considerations moving forward.
The property is in a single-residence district. Duplex housing could require incentive zoning, while multifamily housing would require zoning relief and Planning Board approvals.
“We should be realistic,” O’Brien said. “There are different permitting paths.”
He encouraged early coordination with the Planning Board.
Rather than seek a single redevelopment concept, Callahan recommended an RFP that encourages multiple approaches, including adaptive reuse of the existing building, redevelopment or even retaining portions of the property under town ownership.
One concept studied would reuse the main school building for housing while constructing duplexes along Turner Road, preserving approximately 10,000 square feet of open space and parking. That concept would include no more than 22 housing units.
“I’m prepared to draft an RFP,” Callahan said, adding that he envisions proposals focused on workforce housing, employee housing and senior living rather than large-scale development.
Housing versus open space
The discussion centered on how specific the RFP should be in directing developers.
“I think the broader the RFP is for proposals, the better,” said Select Board member Rossana Ferrante. “There might be something we haven’t even thought of yet.”
Several board members argued that the town should clearly prioritize both housing and public open space.
“There are some priority criteria that kind of set the stage for a productive RFP,” said member Moses Grader, who advocated for preserving space for uses such as a park or playground.
Fox countered that the town has an opportunity to address one of its greatest needs.
“We have a chance to solve one of the biggest problems in this town,” he said. “One of the biggest problems in this town is a lack of housing for seniors, for veterans, for the workforce.”
Select Board member Erin Noonan agreed that the board should avoid carving out land before understanding how it could best be used.
“I don’t know how we can carve off a certain part without knowing what the use of the open space would be,” she said, adding that Marblehead also needs new property tax revenue and “diversity of housing options.”
Kezer suggested the RFP could reward proposals that successfully balance both priorities.
“You can set up the RFP … and give higher scores if you provide more housing and if you provide more open space,” he said. “Tell us creative ways that we can optimize both.”
Board members also cited Marblehead’s 2021 Housing Production Plan, which identified an “extreme lack of affordable homes” and shortage of housing other than single-family residences.
The board asked Callahan to return with a draft RFP and preliminary evaluation criteria in August. Members also agreed the Planning Board should be involved early because some proposals could require zoning amendments or potentially Chapter 40B permitting.
Recreation & Parks seeks public land
Later in the meeting, Recreation and Parks officials urged the board to permanently reserve about 37,000 square feet — just under an acre — of the Coffin School property for public recreation.
“Open space under Recreation and Parks allows for flexibility,” Recreation & Parks Chair Karin Ernst said. “Once you sell it, you lose control.”
The department currently maintains the athletic field on the property and wants the land to remain under its jurisdiction for future recreational uses.
Ernst said survey results show residents are interested in open green space, community gardens and a dog park in addition to housing.
The commission’s immediate concern is the town’s existing dog park, which has become increasingly difficult to access after nearby development eliminated vehicle access. Today, visitors can reach it only by a narrow path from Reynolds Field.
“It makes it challenging for people to use it,” Ernst said.
The commission proposed eventually creating a temporary-to-permanent dog park on part of the Coffin School property. Ernst estimated fencing alone would cost about $30,000.
“If you’re thinking about keeping some of this property, we would start the process” by speaking with neighbors, she said.
Select Board member Erin Noonan questioned whether establishing a temporary dog park before redevelopment plans are finalized would put “the cart before the horse.”
No action was taken on the request.
Other business
The board began the search for Marblehead’s next town administrator. Members agreed to seek proposals from executive search firms through the town’s procurement office, with the goal of hiring a successor by October to allow time for a transition before Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer retires at the end of the year.
The search is expected to cost approximately $15,000.
The board also approved a license for Maria Torres, the new owner of the Driftwood Restaurant, which will be open 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Torres promised to keep Driftwood’s popular fried dough on the menu and add her popular muffins.
