The city of New Bedford is looking to convert the vacant Taylor and Kempton elementary schools into housing developments.
The Kempton School is on Shawmut Avenue and was built in 1900, and was closed in 2015. The building spans just under 20,000 square feet and is on a parcel of land that is 1.6 acres. The Taylor School is on Brock Avenue and was built in 1920, and closed in 2017. It has a building that spans 36,000 square feet on a parcel of land of 1.6 acres.
Those looking to bid on the schools need to submit a down payment of five percent of their proposed purchase price. This deposit will be returned to those who are not successful in their bids and to those who are successful but cannot get planning or zoning permits.
Notice of such opportunities for development can be made known throughout a city and surrounding regions with poster printing.
The director of the Office of Housing and Community Development, Joshua Amaral, said that these developments are one with the housing initiative of Mayor Jon Mitchell. He added that it promotes the restoration of underutilized and vacant properties owned by the city that can be used for housing to increase the amount of housing available in the city.
All proposals are due at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday May 22. The contract will be awarded within 60 days.
