Page 2 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MARCH 22, 2024 Need a hall for your special event? The Schiavo Club, located at 71 Tileston Street, Everett is available for your Birthdays, Anniversaries, Sweet 16 parties and more? For more info, call (857) 249-7882 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK ADVOCATE NEWSPAPER FACEBOOK.COM/ADVOCATE.NEWS.MA City Council, Mayor discuss future use of old Everett High School By Neil Zolot he City Council voted to table a request for $11,400,000 for improvements, primarily a new roof, at the old Everett High School (548 Broadway) in an irregularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, March 13. “Something more solid about what the future of the space would be would allay any concerns about future expenditures,” Councillor-at-Large Katy Rogers added. “Some of us are concerned T about what issues might come up in the future. I don’t want to see an $11 million BandAid, but look at this as part of a greater project. It is an asset to the city and we have great programming we don’t want to lose,” a reference to the preschool, boxing club and Eliot Family Resource Center housed there. Mayor Carlo DeMaria has a plan to use the money to fi x the roof and possibly the heating system if the roof work comes in under budget and lease or sell the currently unoccupied top fl oors to developers, who would assume responsibility for its rehabilitation, and allow the current users to stay put. “My intention is to request proposals from developers for the unoccupied space in the building,” he said. “In the current market, reuse of current parcels is more economical than new construction. It’s an asset. I think we can fi x the asset and see who’s interested. There’s a lot of signifi - cance in the building and a lot of value in it to people. You can ‘build the building.’ We’ll try to keep it under $11 million, and money left over can be used for the heating system and to remove hazardous material. A lot of developers would love to bid on it. I have good relationships with the building trades in the state and I’ll work my contacts.” The mayor stated that he was not sure exactly what rehabilitated space might be used for, but mentioned it could be used to house the Police Dept. when their station is being repaired or rebuilt on the current site, and the auditorium could be restored and used for public and private functions. “We have some good reuses that would go away,” he stated – if the building should be closed. “Eliot couldn’t stay there and the boxing program keeps kids off the street,” something acknowledged by Ward 3 Councillor Anthony DiPierro. “It seems like an asset to the community and gets good use out of the groups there,” DiPierro said about the building. “The basement of City Hall isn’t large enough for Eliot.” DiPierro cited a 2019 study indicating that the cost to raze the building was estimated at nearly $11 million. He asked the mayor what the cost would be now. “I’d say four times that,” was the answer. In Public Comment at the outset of the meeting, Eliot Director of Community Engagement Liliana Patino testifi ed, “A new location would limit the services we provide. Even if we stay in the city, the majority of our services would be impacted, including food distribution.” DiPierro asked what would become of the pre-K. “You don’t have it,” DeMaria answered while adding that 5060 kids out of the 240-260 kids at the old EHS could be transferred to the Devens School. DISCUSS | SEE PAGE 11
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