Once the snow melts by next spring, more permanent changes will be blanketing downtown
Chelsea.
The building shell of the new $2.5 million police station at the corner of South Main and East Summit streets is essentially done, with exterior finish items now in progress. The station, with a first floor and finished basement of about 8,700 and 6,000 square feet, respectively, should be open and operational by the end of May or early June, on schedule and on budget, says City Manager John Hanifan.
A new use for what will be the former police station hasn't been identified yet, but officials are working with the Chelsea Downtown Development Authority on a plan to revert the building back to the private sector. Says Hanifan, "It's a pretty large space that would be great, we think, for infill business because it's right on Middle Street. It's in the heart of downtown Chelsea."
The downtown has attracted a dozen new businesses over the last 4-6 months, according to Hanifan.
Chelsea will also be getting an unused property at 140 Buchanan St. back into circulation with the city council's approval last month of a $175,000 purchase offer extended by an affiliate of the
Chelsea Milling Company, makers of Jiffy brand baking mixes. The offer is currently under review by the city's legal counsel; Hanifan doesn't expect any issues and figures the sale will be closed within the next 30-60 days.
"It moves us away from a building that we ...haven't had much of a use for once we decided not to place any additional municipal facilities there..." he says, and "by selling the building it'll put it back on the tax roll and then also, probably in the long run more importantly, it helps one of the signature businesses of Chelsea continue to expand its operation."
Source: John Hanifan, Chelsea city manager
Writer: Tanya Muzumdar
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