Photo: WBZ News / Jim McKay
QUINCY, Mass. (WBZ News Radio) – The City of Quincy has big plans for the property that once housed Eastern Nazarene College. The school has since closed, and the city wants to purchase the property and has a long list of ideas of what to do with it.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, they ain’t making more land as they say,” said Quincy Mayor Thomas Koch on the possibility of purchasing the now abandoned property.
Koch spoke on “AM Quincy” about what he envisions for the 21-acre property. He mentioned daycare facilities, preschools, senior housing and a flurry of other ideas.
“I think the library is fantastic, and I think we look at the possibility making that a branch library,” he said.
What piqued a lot of interest in the community is housing. Specifically senior housing for those 55 and up.
“Senior facilities are needed,” said Charles from Wollaston. “I might end up in one myself in the not too distant future.”
Though they are waiting on the official valuation of the property in order to make a bid, and find the money to take over the property, Koch said this is one of those rare opportunities that they have to look at spending the money.
“People always say after the fact ‘why didn’t we do more? Why didn’t we do something? This is one of those moments where we should do something,” he said.
What the city worries about is just letting the property go up for action, and having a developer come in and try to build things that don’t belong in a residential neighborhood. This way, they could control the outcome, and bring in a developer later to help make the land more functional for the community.
For now, they await the cost estimate, to see if it’s something they can realistically do.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Jim MacKay (@JimMacKayOnAir) reports.