The town has issued a request for proposals for the former Coffin School property, making clear that any redevelopment must be for housing.
The RFP states: “The property shall be ground leased or sold solely for a housing use. Proposals that contemplate any use other than housing will not be considered. The selected respondent shall be required to use and develop the property in accordance with the permitted housing use and all applicable requirements, approvals, restrictions and conditions established by the town and applicable law.”
The deadline for proposals is Oct. 19.
The Coffin School on Turner Road closed in 2021 after nearly 80 years. The property includes roughly 3 acres and was assessed at $3.4 million in 2025.
The town has hosted several public forums and meetings to gather input on the property’s future. Ideas have ranged from town-owned green space and a dog park to townhouses and housing for seniors and veterans.
Green space?
The RFP includes language about open space.
“The goal is that the selected proposer shall maintain the northwest/west portion of the property adjacent to Shepherd Street extension primarily as open green space and shall remain available for appropriate public community use.”
It adds a list of permitted green space uses, including:
— Playgrounds and ADA-accessible tot lots
— Multi-purpose athletic fields and sports courts
— A dedicated community dog park
— Community gardens and agricultural spaces
— Walking, pedestrian, or recreational pathways
— Open lawn and passive recreational areas
Some members of the Select Board, including Moses Grader, had advocated “carving out” a space on the property owned by the town for public use, but that was not included in the RFP.
You can read the RFP here:
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer has said he intends to establish a review committee that would include two Select Board members, a Planning Board representative, Kezer and Brendan Callahan, director of the town’s Community Development and Planning Department.
The committee would review the proposals and could identify one or more finalists.
Once a finalist is selected, the Select Board could reject all proposals and determine how to proceed, or negotiate an agreement with a selected developer within parameters established by the board.
