Rem Mastin is a 33-year resident of Sunapee, a member of the town conservation commission and a former member of the zoning board. He knows the lay of the land, appreciates local politics and understands the challenges facing towns such as Sunapee these days. Right now, however, he feels the town has an opportunity, unique opportunity that deserves at least serious conversation, if not serious study by the town.
Mastin recently published his idea in a letter to the InterTown Record, an area weekly, and purchased an ad in this week’s Kearsarge Shopper.
The idea is to look at existing and future needs of the town and the potential of centralizing services in one area to form a new “Sunapee Town Center.” Mastin has his eye on the commercial property called Sunapee Center…“that in time, could be the answer to a lot of the [town’s] expanding and upgrading pains.”
Located adjacent to Route 11, off Sargent Road and across from the town’s safety services building, the Center encompasses “about 5.3 acres” and includes a newly constructed 11,000 square foot building, and to put it into perspective, our current town hall is about 2800 sq. ft., Mastin says.
The multi-phase development project went belly-up before phase one was occupied. The complex remains largely empty, the surrounding parking lot paved, and two acres remain cleared and open.
“The current owner [Claremont Savings Bank] took back the property by foreclosure and certainly is not in the business of real estate and development. In other words, they might be willing to try to work out a plan with the town to get this so called ‘asset’ off their books.”
“Wouldn’t it be great to get all of our town offices in one location…in a “new, totally upgraded and modernized” space with “the latest in ‘Green’ Energy Savings, too.”
Mastin thinks the property might be the perfect answer to a combined, multi-faceted planning project that considers the long-term needs for town office space, the library, recreation and the school.
“We have a town library…in very dire need of more space and, while efforts to solve this problem have been proposed, the outlook right now looks bleak. We have the Old Town Hall building known as the French Livery building, that as well as poorly located for public access, needs extensive (and very expensive!) rehabilitation just to make it functional for any public use,” Mastin writes in his public letter to the community.
“The Sunapee Center parcel was initially approved to include twenty or so condos/apartments and a 100 seat restaurant in addition to what is already there. Do we really need all that? Hmmmm, maybe not.”
Mastin hopes his idea gets the attention of the school board, as well. “Maybe the old school would make a great new library and indoor activities area for children. Wow, just think, all the schools, recreation areas, library and town hall, all [located] on one side of the highway. Sounds like a safety feature to me.”
“If this sounds interesting to you folks in Sunapee, like it does to me, talk to your selectmen, town manager, department heads, your neighbors. Or call me or email me to share your thoughts.”
Mastin wants to gather more information and, depending on the feedback he gets, thinks a town warrant article to study the possibilities might be the way to go. A timely conversation is needed now, Mastin suggests, because once the parcel or part of it is sold for other use, the opportunity will be lost.
One can reach Mastin via phone (603-763-2016) or email: remmastin@gmail.com.
To share your opinion about this and other topics of local interest, leave a comment or submit a Letter to the Editor.
Filed under: Abbott Library, Commerce, Government, Land Use, Local Government, Opinion, Sunapee, NH 03782 Tagged: | Land Use Planning, Recreation, Sunapee Schools
Here I go again, I admit to loving the old town although I no longer live in it and make it a point to just visit, sit and talk with folks when I am there. Occasionally I like to baffle the current owner of a property by telling the person something about the the place that an “outsider” should not know. Have to admit I have quietly followed the town for years in this manner, enjoying the sessions. I must take exception to the comments made by John against the Conservation Commission, a well run commission can be of great help to the town and landowners in the town. I honestly doubt that we would want anymore buildings and structures in the lake or wetlands, but some people do seem to want to do such things. I also doubt we would wish unsafe building or food handling practices that might harm or kilI. I agree that with the loss of the Ben Mere, Indian Cave and Burkehaven much of the summer life has faded away. The harbor seems almost dead compared to the bustling spirit it once had. However, The new harbor has many interesting points in its favor. The non-polluted Sugar River and Riverway are great new gems. But the loss of many fine lake views, that could formerly be enjoyed, are very sad for one and all. John and I should be happy our memories of Sunapee are safe in our minds and can not be destroyed or regulated out of existence. Have to chuckle at myself, I did not think I could write anything with so many “I”s in it—will be critical of my own writing style!!!
Just for the record:
The Sunapee Center building is 3 stories, approximately 3,400 sq feet per floor and totals 10,570 gross sq feet in size, not including the porches.
The current Town Hall building is 1 story with finished and fully used basement, 2,825 sq feet per floor and totals 5,800 gross sq feet, including entry vestibule.
The Abbott Library building is 1 story with finished basement, 1,590 sq feet per floor and totals 3,180 gross sq feet. The proposal for a new library is 9,300 gross sq feet.
The current SAU Office is 2 story with basement, 864 sq feet on main floor.
Barbara
[...] civic projects in the planning stages that might be suitable for the site. (See SunapeeNews.com article: It’s a Unique Opportunity Says [...]
I grew up on and around Sunapee and am in the planing stage of buying commercial and a private lake house or as we used to call them, camps. The last thing that is needed are ideas as Rem Mastins outlined. Sunapee needs less government and special interest as the town conservation commission etc. and more free enterprise businesses to make the harbor more friendly to visitors and lake people. Remember the Woodbine and other small shops? Remember the big old hotels in the harbor and around the lake? I worked as a kid at the Indian Cave and Grandliden. There was fun activities during those times and I would help make it work again if every little society and commission would back off. I tried to restore one place in the harbor and ran into every busy body you could imagine so I closed down and did something in South Georgia and Aiken South Carolina where everyone cooperated.
Anyway, Thank you
John