Town seeking proposals for Old Southworth Library reuse

Mar 20, 2018

The town is again accepting applications to find a non-profit to take over the use of the Old Southworth Library.

At its March 19 meeting, the board voted 4-0 to send out a new round of requests for proposals for the lease of the 404 Elm Street building. The request for proposals is for a three-year lease of the building, and is similar to a previous request for proposals issued last year.

Changes include requiring lessees to fund repairs and improvements to the building and the elimination of a $1,800 certified check with the application.

Last year, only two responses were submitted to the requests for proposal, an outright sale of the property, and a proposal by Dartmouth Cultural Center, Inc., a newly formed non-profit with a vision to turn the building into an arts center.

Group officials had asked for more time to flesh out a more comprehensive plan, as issues were raised with several areas including how the organization’s goals fit into the zoning of the building.

Responses to the requests for proposals are due by April 30.