Higgins Armory sold for $850,000
The Higgins Armory Museum building in Worcester.
The Higgins Armory building was sold last week to a New Hampshire developer who has a track record of restoring historic properties, such as the Pawtucket Armory in Rhode Island.
Following the closing of the museum nearly a year ago in December 2013, the building was set to be sold as the collection of arms and armor that had been housed inside was transferred to the Worcester Art Museum. The 42,000-square foot building was sold Dec. 22 to developer Brian Thibeault for $850,000 after the Higgins’ board of trustees received several responses to a request for proposals. The final decision took into account not only the price and speed of the sale, but also the proposed use and preservation of the building, said James C. Donnelly Jr., who chairs the board of trustees.
“(Thibeault’s) an entrepreneur, but he has a history of restoring to use some other buildings, with one example (being) the Pawtucket Armory,” he said. “It was very important to find somebody that would preserve the building and put it to a good use.”
Thibeault converted the Pawtucket Armory into a community, cultural and art space, said Donnelly, who would not elaborate on the developer’s plans for the Higgins. But Donnelly said the space will be preserved and put to an appropriate use.
“I’m pleased with not only who the purchaser is, but also with his creativity and his commitment to preserving the building,” Donnelly said. “That was one of the biggest challenges we faced … finding a good future use for the building and this is a wonderful solution to that problem.”
Proceeds from the sale will help fill two endowment funds at the Worcester Art Museum, one to purchase new objects for the former Higgins collection and the other to fund a curator’s position that will focus on the arms and armor collection, he said.
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