Leominster buys $550K land parcel eyed for development
Photo | Leominster Assessors Database
The City of Leominster bought an eight-acre parcel of land, including a house, on 253 Legate Hill Road.
The City of Leominster purchased an eight-acre parcel of undeveloped land for more than half a million dollars on Tuesday, after a vote Jan. 10 to dip into the local government's stabilization Fund to buy the land.
The Leominster City Council voted 6-3 in favor of the purchase but does not have any immediate plans for the site, which raised some concerns among councillors.
The previous owners of the land, Patrick, Philip, and William Ware, were offered $550,000 by a developer for the land. This prompted the City to match the offer.
City Councilor Mark Bodanza, who introduced the topic at the meeting, said the City is interested in maintaining control over the lot, which can be done through zoning, but is easier to do when the City owns it.
“There is no specific identified use for the property,” Bodanza said. “[The City wants] to have control over how it’s developed. Obviously, through zoning, we have some control over the property, but if the City in fact is the landowner and sells it directly to the ultimate developer, the control is even more significant.”
The Conservation Commission discussed the property in October and recommended it be used as recreational space, such as a park or field, but it is not well suited for conservation.
The property is 8.4 acres and located on 253 Legate Hill Road. All but one acre is zoned as open space, according to the Leominster assessors’ data, and the remaining one acre is classified and taxed as mixed-use residential space. It is assessed by the City at $255,050.
Also included in the lot is a 3,000-square-foot house classified as vacant by the assessor.
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