10 take pre-bid walkthrough of Aldrich, Rhodes schools

By JOHN HOWELL

A charter school, assisted living facility and home builder were among a group that conducted a walkthrough of two vacant schools the city is hopeful of selling.

“I’m trying to be very careful not to rule anything out,” Richard Crenca city principal planner said Thursday. He said a group of 10 participated in the “walkthrough” of Aldrich Junior High School and the adjoining Christopher Rhodes School on March 24. That was followed by a pre-bid conference on March 28. The city has set May 15 as the deadline for proposals for the two properties that could be sold or leased singularly or as a unit making up about 20 acres.

While the city is willing to entertain different proposals for the use of the properties, Crenca said the city has ruled out a big box store on the property. Also, if possible, he prefers saving Aldrich as, for example, Lockwood Junior High School was saved when converted into condominiums.

“We would strongly consider retention of Aldrich,” Crenca said.

Rhodes School closed in 2008. Rhodes was leased by the Rhode Island School for the Deaf for a year while the School for the Deaf build new facilities in Providence. There had been hopes of converting Rhodes into an assisted living facility, but the city was unable to find a company prepared to take on such a project. In a second effort to find a use for the building, it looked like the Artists’ Exchange would relocate from Cranston and the school would become a mix of artist studios and a mix of classroom and performance space. Although the city was willing to consider a long term lease at virtually no cost, the projected $5 million of converting the space plus building repairs and maintenance made the plan impractical.

Aldrich closed last June as part of the secondary school consolidation that saw the combining of Aldrich and Gorton Junior Highs into Vets that was closed as a senior high school. With its frontage on Post Road, the site is considered more desirable for retail and office development than the adjoining Rhodes property that is tucked into a residential neighborhood.

Crenca can see a mixed use for Aldrich between residential and office.

Crenca didn’t have the name readily available, but said a Massachusetts company that develops assisted living was one of those looking at the buildings. He said the International Charter School now located in Pawtucket was represented as was the nonprofit housing developer Women’s Development Corporation and homebuilder Hugh Fisher. Crenca thought Fisher was interested in the Rhodes property. He speculated Fisher would be interested in demolishing the school and sub diving the property for single-family homes.

Overall, Crenca is encouraged by the interest shown in the two properties. Now his hope is for viable proposals.