The school was vacated when students moved to a more-modern building, formerly St. Patrick's School, in October.
10.23.2000 | FILE | CHICOPEE – Students at the former Belcher School in Chicopee, which was constructed in 1900.CHICOPEE – The city is putting the former Belcher School on Southwick Street up for sale for the second time in three months.
After hearing there was some interest in buying the more than 110-year-old former school, the City Council authorized Mayor Michael D. Bissonnette to start the process to sell the building in May.
“We had one bid from someone who was interested in using the site for a retail development,” Bissonnette said.
Because there were errors in the bid, the city decided to formally ask for proposals again, he said.
“If it was a solid bid we may have accepted it,” Bissonnette said. “As a matter of law we had to get it right.”
In the one proposal, a developer was interested in demolishing the building at 10 Southwick St. and using the property to put up a retail building. Bissonnette did not reveal details on what type of retail was proposed.
The St. Patrick's School which was sold to the city and renamed Belcher School. Belcher School, which housed about 260 students in kindergarten through grade 2, was closed in October and students moved into a more-modern school that was formerly the St. Patrick’s School on 125 Montgomery St.
The building was purchased by the city when the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield decided to close the St. Patrick’s School. After children moved in, the newer school adopted the Belcher School name.
The city had originally proposed to use the school on Southwick Street to house students from Chicopee Academy during renovations to the former Chicopee High School building that they currently occupy.
But Bissonnette said he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to sell a building the city no longer needed, after learning someone was interested in purchasing it. The city has been trying to sell the former Chapin School and the old city library for at least three years with little success.
Alternative plans have been proposed to move Chicopee Academy if it is necessary.