Council rejects historical building gift

Move to transfer ownership of parking garages tabled

FALL RIVER — The city’s acquisition of properties with heavy costs to rehab received a cool reception by the council’s Committee on Real Estate on Tuesday with one getting summarily rejected and the other tabled.

For the second time the real estate committee considered an offer from Monte Ferris, the owner of the Venus de Milo to donate a historical building he owns at 80-84 N. Main St. The matter had been previously tabled by the committee.

City Councilor Leo Pelletier echoed concerns he’s expressed before that repairs to the building would be too costly for the already cash strapped city, particularly after he heard a report from city Director of Inspectional Services Glenn Hathaway.

Needed asbestos abatement, means of egress problems, a leaking roof and a non-operational freight elevator were some of the issues Hathaway ticked off from a list of problems he encountered after an inspection of the old building built in 1886. It would also require the replacement of boilers and the sprinkler system would need to be changed from a wet to dry system due to winter freezing concerns.

The inspector said that while he hasn't sought an official estimate; it could cost the city up to $3 million to contract for the needed repairs.

While Ferris had changed terms of the gift from it be given to the Historic Commission with the responsibility of up keep on the city, a term that also concerned the committee was the three-year requirement that it stay in city possession.

The city’s taking over ownership of the city’s Third and Pearl streets parking garages was tabled in committee also out of concern of the nearly $2 million it would cost to upgrade and repair the outdated structures.

The Fall River Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously to hand over ownership of the two public parking garages to the city, which had owned the properties at one time.

The committee, that includes Pelletier and councilor Brad Kilby, discussed with RDA member Bob Smith and RDA attorney John Coughlin the possibility of the RDA selling the structures to a private sector entity.

Coughlin said terms of the deed would require any sale to be approved by the mayor and city council.

“We’ll talk a little more in the near future to see if we can iron this out,” said Pelletier.

Email Jo C. Goode at jgoode@heraldnews.com