Town Considers Buying Former Co- op Building
By M. D. Drysdale

The town of Randolph is considering purchase of the former Randolph Cooperative Market building for an expanded municipal building.

With 7500 square feet on one level, the former co-op would be considerably larger than the current municipal building, and even larger than the planned expanded building, according to Town Manager Peter Butterfield.

The selectboard at its regular meeting Monday Aug. 6 will discuss whether or not to offer a formal bid for the property. The building is being sold out of foreclosure by the Randolph National Bank, and bids must be received by August 17.

For several weeks, the board has held executive sessions to discuss an undisclosed real estate matter, related to the municipal building. Butterfield and the selectboard confirmed at the July 16 board meeting that the former co-op is the matter under discussion.

The town has already voted $1.2 million to expand and renovate the municipal building on Summer Street. However, actual construction was thwarted by a series of legal challenges, one of them involving the threatened destruction of a venerable crabapple tree. The legal hurdles have been mosly overcome at this point- although a new bidding process has been ordered by the court.

However, the possibility of utilizing the former co-op opens an entirely new door of possibility.

The space under consideration is formally called Unit B of the Trillium Condominium. The former industrial building (Van Raalte and then Merrimaids) has been converted to condominiums, with separate owners for the top floor, the main floor, and the extensive basement.

If the town were to pursue that route, it would probably have to get voters to approve spending the $1.2 million in this new way, Butterfield said.

The selex would also have to decide what to do with the current municipal building.

All those issues will be on the table Aug. 6 as the selectboard considers the pros and cons of the proposal. The pros, Butterfield said, would likely include price- "It is possible we could do more over there with less money, especially if we sell this building," he said.

It's also advantageous that everything would be on one floor. That would eliminate the requirement for an elevator and make for a more convenient layout. Such a plan would also not require any relocation expenses, as the town offices could continue where they are without interruption while their new quarters are being prepared.

A disadvantage is that a new municipal vault would have to be built from scratch, the town manager said.

The entire idea will be discussed in a public session Aug. 6, he said, and public input is encouraged. The board would have to go into executive session, however, to discuss how much money the town should offer, if it decides to bid.