Belisleschool

Sales of Fall River Public Schools

By Jon Root

  • School properties transferred

    School Committee transfers 14 school properties to city jurisdiction.

  • Procedural vote

    School Committee re-votes for procedural reasons; decides to retain 2 schools, add 3 others, total of 15.

  • Appraisals sought

    Council Real Estate Committee seeks appraisals of two schools – Brayton Avenue and Belisle – asking Mayor Robert Correia for $75,000 to appraise all schools – none ever done for lack of funds.

  • Committee expands

    City council, at President Joseph Camara request, expands Real Estate Committee from 3 to 5 members to handle school sales. Councilor Pat Casey remains chairwoman.

  • 16th property added

    In mid-2010, buildings and grounds schools (Hartwell/Silvia) added as 16th property.

  • Six top schools

    Real Estate Committee identifies 6 schools with most interest: Highland, Laurel Lake, Belisle, Brayton Avenue and old Henry Lord.

  • Five schools selected for auction

    In December 2010, after more than a year of discussions and delays, the Real Estate Committee sets a two-stage process to auction five schools: Coughlin, Brayton Avenue, Belisle, Lincoln and old Henry Lord.

  • Disappointing bids; auction canceled

    Only single pre-qualifying bids for Belisle (WORD Child Development Center, Fall River) and Henry Lord (Stratford Capital, Peabody) are submitted; none for others. Corporation Counsel Steven Torres says to cancel March 11 auction.

  • Minimum bid debate

    In June and July of 2011, the Real Estate Committee floats setting minimum sales bids for selling same 5 schools: $200,000, then $100,000, then $50,000, agreeing on lowest. Later drops minimum to $1 to attract more bids.

  • More low bids

    Bids opened, only 2: $1.90 from non-profit for a “Coughlin School of Peace” and $1,000 for Brayton Avenue from developer Jerry Donovan to build houses.

  • Coughlin, Brayton sold

    City Council votes to sell Coughlin and Brayton Avenue for those amounts.

  • School transfers ordered

    City Council orders transfer of Dubuque and Healy schools to Community Maintenance Department for development, but a week later, Real Estate Committee reverses course, citing buyer interests.

  • Brayton school sold

    Brayton Avenue School becomes the city's first completed sale (only one to date).

  • More bids submitted; some ineligible.

    13 bids filed for 5 schools: 6 for Belisle, 3 for N.B. Borden, 3 for Osborn and one each for Highland and old Henry Lord. Torres later designates 5 bids ineligible.

  • Two more schools awarded

    With single bids, city council awards Highland School at $145,000 to Dr. Gagliardi for professional building, and old Henry Lord $15,000 to developer Robert Kfoury for houses. Council Vice President Brad Kilby is new RE Committee chairman.

  • Busy month

    In February 2012, the city council delays sale on Belisle; awards bids for Osborn to SB&A Realty Group, Fall River, for $3,111 for professional building, and for N.B. Borden to TA Restaurant Inc., Fall River, for $5,000 for parking and possibly apartments. Council President Linda Pereira removes Pat Casey from RE Committee related to Belisle School controversy.

  • Belisle bidding starts over

    With 3 of 6 Belisle bids tossed, city council removes all bids and starts over.

  • Council receives guidance

    Council holds special meeting to learn from state property procurement official its two-tier auction a year ago set up illegally, and city should have appraisal and environmental information on which to base pricing. Council votes 9-0 to seek $100,000 from Flanagan administration.