Westborough giving developers State Hospital tours
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The town of Westborough will give tours of the former site of Westborough State Hospital to potential developers early next month, as the town prepares to review bids for partial redevelopment of the site.
Developers and anyone else who is interested in the property can attend a tour of the site on July 11. Up for redevelopment is 37 acres of the 96-acre property -- the area of the property where the buildings currently sit, said Town Manager Jim Malloy.
The hospital closed in 2010. The town of Westborough bought the property from the state in 2014 after a well-attended public hearing made it clear that the town’s residents wanted the town itself to get involved with the redevelopment of the property, rather than have it redeveloped by the state, its former owner.
The state wanted to turn it into housing, but the community was concerned that unrestricted housing could lead to higher capacity in the town’s schools or the need for a new school, Malloy said.
Westborough purchased the property from the commonwealth for $2.2 million, and has to split proceeds evenly with the state due to the terms of their agreement. However, Westborough could receive a higher portion of the profit if it complies with certain conditions, Malloy said.
The property could become a corporate office park, age-restricted housing, or a research and development center, among other things, Malloy said. Bids are due in September.
The remaining 60 acres of land have open space, including six soccer fields, 15 acres set aside for municipal development and a lakefront. The town’s open space requirement is being waived for the eventual buyer of the 37 acres because of the open nature of the other 60 acres, Malloy said.
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