AMESBURY – Plans to transform the former Amesbury Elementary School site into housing took a large step on July 14 when Mayor Kassandra Gove submitted a bill to the City Council as part of a required land use and redevelopment assessment process.
The bill requests to authorize the disposition by sale or lease of approximately 4 acres of land at 24 South Hampton Road.
AES closed at the end of the 2022-2023 school year following the opening of the Sgt. Jordan Shay Memorial Lower Elementary School next to Cashman Elementary. Shay Elementary was named after the 2005 Amesbury High School graduate who was killed in 2009 at age 22 during his second tour of duty in Iraq.
The proposed order would allow the creation of no more than 37 principal residential dwelling units across the land including up to 36 units on the aforementioned 4 acres and one single-family dwelling unit on a 13,000-square-foot area fronting Rowell Street.
The rest of the site would remain under Amesbury’s ownership and be reserved for future use including drainage infrastructure, public parkland and more.
Nick Cracknell, director of community and economic development, said the proposed plan will benefit all involved.
“After careful consideration of the housing needs of the community against the economic, recreational, and design implications of redeveloping this property, I believe the proposed concept plan strikes a fair and equitable balance for the abutters, the surrounding neighborhood, and city taxpayers as a whole,” he said.
Gove also introduced a bill to the council seeking that would rezone two areas at the school from open space conservancy to Residential-8,000 square feet or R-8 in order to support proposed future housing opportunities.
These areas include the 4-acre spot with 475 feet of frontage on South Hampton Road and the approximately 0.3 acre area with 90 feet of frontage on Rowell Street.
The area is proposed to be rezoned to R-8 consistent with adjacent zoning, allowing for single-, two- and multi-family dwellings under a special permit issued by the Planning Board.
“This is also about smart, balanced growth. We’re thoughtfully preserving a significant portion of the land for public use while inviting responsible redevelopment to serve today’s housing needs,” Gove said.
The development must also comply with affordable housing requirements as outlined in Amesbury’s zoning ordinance.
Gove said while conversations about redevelopment preceded her time as mayor, she believes this plan will positively impact the community.
“Conversations about the re-use of this property started prior to my administration due to the new elementary school project which centralized our grade schools to Lions Mouth Road. Over time the future of this space has come into focus, and I believe this is a fiscally responsible and community-minded plan. We are removing the costly burden of maintaining an obsolete structure while unlocking new housing options that are similar to the surrounding neighborhood and returning land to the tax rolls,” she said.