Belchertown Select Board Hears $22 Million Tadgell School Renovation Estimate, Takes No Action

Select Board 2026-06-15 Part 2 · Meeting of June 15, 2026

Belchertown Select Board hears $22 million Tadgell School renovation estimate and approves five year-end budget transfers totaling $31,944. Consultants Lindsay Schnarr of Kuhn Riddle Architects and Designers and Craig French of Tighe and Bond presented a schematic design for the vacant former school on June 15, showing a mixed-use concept of roughly 60 percent business space and 40 percent community space across 26,813 square feet at an estimated $545 per square foot — compared to a January conceptual estimate that exceeded $26 million. Town Manager Steven Williams said he has shared the report with MassDevelopment, Western Mass EDC, and other regional development partners, and outlined three paths forward: town ownership with a debt exclusion, a public-private partnership, or an outright sale.

"The worst case scenario would be to accept grants, put money into a building, and then have it sit vacant and tear it down in five years," Williams said. The board took no action on the school but agreed to return to the topic before October, when a one-stop grant decision on roof funding is expected. In other action, the board voted 3-0-1 to designate Jonathan Ritter as Select Board Clerk, approved a 4-0 resolution commemorating America's 250th anniversary, voted to raise a commemorative flag at Lawrence Memorial Hall on July 1, and endorsed a September 24 fireworks event at Chestnut Hill Community School funded entirely through donations, not taxpayer dollars.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 4,417 words

Source: the Select Board 2026-06-15 Part 2 meeting of June 15, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.