Anawan School May Be Used for Senior Housing

The historic Anawan School may not be demolished after all.

The Rehoboth Board of Selectmen and the town’s Housing Authority have reached a tentative agreement to swap parcels of land. There will be an article detailing the agreement on the Spring Town Meeting warrant.

Paul Jacques, chairman of the Housing Authority, told the board the Anawan School and the land once occupied by the former Council on Aging would be used to construct 36 units of senior housing.

‘This is just another example of how we’re working together for the benefit of Rehoboth citizens and our most vulnerable, our seniors,” Jacques said Monday.

Jacques said the Housing Authority is working in conjunction with the Historical Society, the Community Preservation Committee, and other organizations to secure funding for the project.

“This is a good beginning,” said BOS Chairman Skip Vadnais.

Last June, Building Commissioner William McDonough, Fire Chief Frank Barresi, and Health Agent Karl Drown conducted an inspection of the Anawan School.

McDonough had said the building at 53 Bay State Road was “unsafe” and ordered it to be demolished within 90 days.
 McDonough reported 90 percent of the ceilings had collapsed and all of the hardwood floors were “completely buckled and rotted.” The building was also impacted by extensive water damage. McDonough spotted “multiple holes on the roof” and multiple broken windows.

“There is not a stable piece of wood in that building,” Selectman Dave Perry noted. “The building is ready to collapse. Nothing is salvageable.”

Selectmen considered the building a danger to the public and declared the property off-limits. No Trespassing signs and protective fencing were put up to deter people from going inside.

 “If somebody was to break into that building and they got hurt, they would not only own that building, they would own a good chunk of this town,” Perry said. “So we have a responsibility to make sure that building is secure.” 

Selectmen had given the CPC and the Historical Commission the opportunity to present a plan on how they were going to save the Anawan School. After no plan was presented, the board voted to demolish the building.