Council back to drawing board on Aldrich, Rhodes properties

By Ethan Hartley
Posted 12/21/17

By ETHAN HARTLEY -- City officials continue to look into how they can get the best deal possible for the former Aldrich Junior High School and the Christopher Rhodes Elementary School, both of which remain closed, unoccupied and up for sale by the city.

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Council back to drawing board on Aldrich, Rhodes properties

Posted

City officials continue to look into how they can get the best deal possible for the former Aldrich Junior High School and the Christopher Rhodes Elementary School, both of which remain closed, unoccupied and up for sale by the city.

Both properties have received bids from prospective buyers – the International Charter School as a suitor to buy, renovate and re-purpose Aldrich for operation now based in Pawtucket, and local developer Hugh A. Fisher submitted a bid of $550,000 for the Christopher Rhodes School – but neither of those bids have been accepted by the Warwick City Council as of yet.

During Monday night’s council meeting, City Planning Director William Pasquale Jr. gave a report outlining four bids from potential appraisers to assess the value of the Christopher Rhodes property, as by local law the city would need to appraise the building before being eligible to sell it to a potential buyer, such as Fisher. The low bid for getting an appraisal came from Peter Scotti & Associates for $3,200.

However, finance committee chair and Ward 5 Councilman Ed Ladouceur put the brakes on the proposal to merely appraise Christopher Rhodes, suggesting an appraisal of both Aldrich and Rhodes together – as one combined parcel, which he argued might be attractive to a wider range of developers.

“It’s an interesting opportunity we have for both Christopher Rhodes and Aldrich,” Ladouceur said at the meeting. “We’re talking about a significant amount of property in totality between the two. I think we’re talking about an unknown total value of those. I personally am very curious about what those properties combined would generate in revenue.”

Ladouceur said in a follow-up interview on Wednesday that he imagined a large number of single family homes could potentially be built on the parcels – the total area comprises around 200,000 square feet – creating a large amount of potential tax revenue that was significant enough, in his opinion, to at least look into the feasibility of the idea.

“I need to be sure in my mind before I commit to something over there that we have explored all options and have done our due diligence on behalf of the payers in order to find the best deal possible,” he said.

The case could be made, as Pasquale did in response to Ladouceur, that doing another appraisal on Aldrich would be redundant, and that the city should instead focus on getting accurate numbers on what it would cost to abate and demolish Christopher Rhodes, as it is unlikely that the school could be re-purposed due to its age and condition.

“Then we’ll have the appraisal for Rhodes and then we’ll be able to determine the net value for the taxpayers,” he said, adding that a Phase 1 and Phase 2 appraisal of Christopher Rhodes would cost around $14,000. “Between that and the Aldrich appraisal, there will be a lot of information that we can go forward with.”

While Ladouceur agreed wholeheartedly that the city should get a good handle on how much it will cost to mitigate and raze the Christopher Rhodes building, he said on Wednesday that he doesn’t want to solely rely on the city’s appraisal of Aldrich – which concluded the property was worth about $2.2 million – and that he wants an “independent appraisal from someone outside of the community.”

“I don’t know if any of those [current] offers are real good, real bad or just okay, because we don’t have an outside independent appraisal,” he said.

The only offer for Aldrich that currently exists is from the International Charter School. That bid was received over the summer, and included a purchase price of $1.9 million for the building, in addition to $6.9 million in renovations they would make to the building. The school would open up their recreational facilities to the public during off-school hours and would pay $70,000 a year in PILOT [payment in lieu of taxes].

That bid has ultimately gone nowhere, though, as members of the council expressed doubts about how many kids would be taken away from the public school system, and how much that would ultimately cost the district. Further, some felt that getting less than the appraised value of the property was a bad deal.

Ladouceur said he doesn’t have anything against charter schools, as he is pro school choice, but he is wary of the school funding formula, and thinks that more options should be explored for Aldrich anyway.

“I need to see better numbers before I can sign onto anything,” he said. “Taxpayer dollars are not monopoly money. This is real money.”

The issue was ultimately tabled so that Pasquale could come back with a revised plan to appear with before the council in a couple of months.

Warwick aldrich building, warwick planning projects, warwick development, christopher rhodes school, christopher rhodes warwick

Comments

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  • Justanidiot

    Sell them both for a dollar to Larry Lucchino, knock them both down, and put in a new stadium for the WarSox. With all the tax savings we are getting from the mayer, Mr. Lucchino wouldn't have to invest more than that one dollar. We can make this happen if we act fast before Pawtucket or Worcester acts.

    Thursday, December 21, 2017 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    I don't think new appraisals are going to help much. There are not enough sold properties of this unique type of real estate to use the "sales comparison" approach and using any other method such as reconstruction-cost-minus-depreciation, will give too inaccurate a value picture. The reality is that Aldrich is worth what the highest bidder will pay. Aldrich is worth what the taxpayers want the final product to look like. Determine that value (if you can) and you will determine the true value of Aldrich. I personally feel that Warwick will be better off with single family homes rather than a charter school. I believe that the tax revenue to the City will be higher and our public schools wouldn't have a charter school to compete with. Plus, I believe that it is what the taxpayers want.

    Ed Ladouceur and the City Council are wise to explore all options before making a final decision, but it seems that Aldrich will become a charter school and Rhodes will be made into new homes by a builder with

    Merry Christmas everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Thursday, December 21, 2017 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    nather of those ideers are tax producing mr mayer. how about we knocks downd both and build a superdooper walmarts there and bild a mayers mansion where de olde walsmart iz. you would gets lots off taxes and would decrease our dependence on foreign oil.

    Thursday, December 21, 2017 Report this

  • CrickeeRaven

    You know, Justanidiot, it's almost as if the fake "mayor" has no memory, to go along with his lack of facts.

    In replying to a past article about plan for Aldrich, the fake "mayor" claimed something similar to this comment he made on this page: "I believe that the tax revenue to the City will be higher and our public schools wouldn't have a charter school to compete with."

    Here's the link: http://warwickonline.com/stories/aldrich-could-end-up-being-a-school-again-rhodes-for-housing,126254?

    When it was explained that students from those homes would add $12,000 to $13,000 each in school costs, the soon-to-be twice-defeated candidate claimed that the school department would simply absorb the costs of these new students -- and then had no answer except insults. Oh, and that's also the comment board where Thecaptain and I discovered that the fake "mayor" paid rent on his campaign office to the same person who had previously paid the delinquent tax bill on his residence.

    Also, the charter school administrator explained at the time that the majority of students would be from outside Warwick, meaning his claim that Warwick would be "competing" against it is also false.

    "I believe that it is what the taxpayers want."

    Given his complete lack of evidence or fact for so many of his prior claims, this new one should be considered another figment of his delusional imagination.

    Thursday, December 21, 2017 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Justanidiot,

    Just as I was about to complement you on your improved spelling...

    Thank you for the idea about the "Mayors Mansion" but that, as you know, it is not my style. In fact, one of my first duties as Mayor is going to be tearing down the sign at the entrance to City Hall that says "Parking for Mayor Only". Since he goes on vacation more than once a month (I believe it is 15 times this year alone), he certainly doesn't need to deprive others from that parking spot. I, on the other hand have a different personality. I believe that the taxpayers should come first, and since I plan on actually going to the office early every morning, I shouldn't take the best parking spot. That spot should be reserved for the most important person; the taxpayer. I'll park were the general public parks.

    Merry Christmas old friend. Those of us who actually have a sense of humor look forward to your comments. We all know that behind your misspelled humor there is an intelligent message.

    Not sure how "building a super-duper Walmart" will "decrease our dependence on foreign oil" but reading it makes your growing audience smile and that is what Warwick needs more of, especially this time of year.

    Merry Christmas to all.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers Mayor

    Friday, December 22, 2017 Report this

  • CrickeeRaven

    "Since he goes on vacation more than once a month (I believe it is 15 times this year alone), he certainly doesn't need to deprive others from that parking spot."

    For once, maybe the fake "mayor" will provide some kind of proof for one of his claims. Given his past record, though, he will again fail to support his statements.

    He also maintains the delusion that he will ever get elected mayor and be able to determine such weighty matters as providing the mayor with a designated parking space.

    Friday, December 22, 2017 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    mr mayer you takes my well taught out and meaningfull comments and say day is just fer laughs.

    ha ha ha

    just wats i would expects from someones who shoves hes christians hullydaze in our faces every comment. takes yer marry cristmus bake to your presidents trump and stays with him in his wite hourses.

    Friday, December 22, 2017 Report this

  • CrickeeRaven

    Hey Justanidiot:

    How do you grade the mayer's math?

    The school budget has gone up as the population has gone down, but he thinks that adding more kids won't increase school spending. He also thinks that the $4,000 or so in tax revenue from single family houses > $12,000 per student education costs.

    Friday, December 22, 2017 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Another thing that his Mayor Dumbness still hasn't realized is that in RI, the mayor cannot also be the principal in a full time business. Think about this for just a minute. If while running his mortgage business he was unable to mange his own finances and went bankrupt and lost his home to tax sale and foreclosure, how could he think that he could manage the finances of a city and still run his almost defunct mortgage business. From what I understand from people who have done business with him, several aren't very happy. Not withstanding the fact that as a mortgage broker, how could you possible enter into a predatory mortgage and lose your house? That really deserves scrutiny.

    He still hasn't commented about his tax delinquency, the 16 civil cases in which he was the defendant, his shady payments from his campaign account to Mr. Clay Shakelton who assumed his tax sale. Is there anyone that reads this that can say something positive about his business or fiscal track record? I myself would like to hear.

    Let me be the first. He is a fair to moderate fisherman, if he shuts the hell up and concentrates. However, if you do fish with him, bring lots of gear because if he starts to talk he gets hung up on the bottom and loses lots of expensive gear.

    Saturday, December 23, 2017 Report this

  • Scal1024

    Captain, copy and paste the questions you ask in your last comment, attach them to any future comments Corrente makes on this page. The fact that these questions have gone unanswered for the length of time they have speaks volumes. It says alot about the character and integrity of a person seeking the office of mayor. It seems he thinks voters are as foolish and incompetent as he's proven to be over the last 2 and a half years in a public setting.

    Tuesday, December 26, 2017 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    Yet Corrente still insists on illegally placing his campaign signs all around the city on the traffic control boxes. They will continue to be disposed of daily.

    Monday, January 1, 2018 Report this