New Hampshire has put the former Laconia State School property on the open market, aiming to reap “the best current value for the state by selling the property ‘as-is’ without further delay.”

The Department of Administrative Services has issued a request for proposals for a commercial real estate broker “to commence marketing the property to suitable, qualified buyers as soon as possible before the end of the 2021 summer season, with or without regard to the mission, findings or recommendations of the Lakeshore Redevelopment Planning Commission.”

The RFP follows passage of the state budget, which at the initiative of Gov. Chris Sununu, authorized him, with the approval of the Executive Council, to bypass the statutory process for disposing of state property.

That process includes several levels of departmental and legislative review as well as an obligation to grant a first offer to the city where the property is located.

What the RFP calls “a novel disposal directive and procedure” unique to this particular property, aims “to negotiate a relatively rapid ‘as-is’ sale of the property notwithstanding the ongoing activities of the Lakeshore Redevelopment Planning Commission.”

In 2017, after repeated efforts to sell the property came to nothing, the commission was established to work in partnership with the city to recommend ways of redeveloping the site to foster “self-sustaining economic development and job creation or the benefit of the city of Laconia, Belknap County and the state of New Hampshire.”

The Legislature appropriated $350,000 in each year of both the FY 2020-21 and FY 2022-23 bienniums for the commission to undertake its work.

George Bald, the commission’s chair, said, “We will continue to do what we’ve been doing, consistent with the charge we were given by the Legislature.” Since it was convened, the commission has worked closely with city and regional officials while regularly hosting open meetings to sound the public about its plans and progress.

The RFP comes in the wake of confirmation by commission members in July that a private investment group is working on a purchase offer.

Bald said that while any offer would be considered by the state, the commission has been a point of contact for those interested in acquiring the site at North Main Street and Meredith Center Road, adjacent to Ahern State Park and Lake Winnisquam.

“We have every reason to believe they have the financial ability or can get the financing to do the project,” Bald said.

Recently, the commission itself issued two RFPs, one for a thorough survey of the entire property and another for appraisals of the property, “as is,” with the “backbone” infrastructure complete and subdivided into parcels, both with and without the infrastructure package.

While the RFP issued by the state acknowledges “the Commission has compiled a great deal of useful due diligence regarding the Property from which the successful Respondent may benefit,” it also cautions that “reasonable care should be taken when relying on such information given the fundamental differences between the Commission’s underlying statutory mission and the Department’s new directive to realize the best current value for the State by selling the Property ‘as-is’ without undue delay.”

Likewise, the same RFP all but dismisses the city’s interest in the future of the property.

— MICHAEL KITCH