REQUEST FOR IDEAS & CREATIVE PROPOSALS FUTURE USE OF THE FIELD BUILDING

TOWN OF LEVERETT

REQUEST FOR IDEAS & CREATIVE PROPOSALS

FUTURE USE OF THE FIELD BUILDING

September 14, 2026

1. Purpose & Vision

In May 2026, Leverett Town Meeting voted to:

Retain town ownership of the Field Building located at 1 Shutesbury Road for two years, during which time interested parties, including the Leverett Historical Commission and residents, will explore, through the oversight and decision making of the Selectboard, uses for the building and obtain grant funding that would fund needed work on the building to accommodate an adaptive reuse of the building to enable it to become a multi-use building that would include space for archival storage of documents and artifacts of Leverett's history and address staffing and administration of the building. The intent is for the building to serve a function that the town is willing to support financially or to generate revenue to support its ongoing use beyond the maintenance costs of heating and electricity. Substantial progress showing a proof of concept toward sustainability for the building must be made within the 2 years. (ATM warrant)

The Selectboard plans to address the needed building envelope improvements so that the ideas proposed in response to the Request for Ideas do not need to address those.

The Selectboard welcomes concepts from anyone interested in proposing a future use for the building.

The Selectboard reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, combine similar proposals from different proposers, and to accept proposals deemed to be in the best interests of the citizens of Leverett.

The goal is to explore how to transform this historic space into a vibrant/dynamic, multi-use community asset.

2. Available Resources

To help proposers develop realistic uses, the town is providing the following documents.

Building Condition: Eric Gradoia Building Conditions Assessment (March 2026)
Sewage & Septic: Tighe and Bond Septic Evaluation (2023) & Mass Form 11 Soil Assessment (2024)
Site Layout: Harold L. Eaton Existing Conditions Plan of Land (2023)
Preservation: Lisa Lipshires Preservation Survey Report (2013)

Digital copies of these documents can be requested at townadministrator@leverett.ma.us.

3. Process

Ideas and Proposals are due to the Selectboard office by 9:00 am on Monday, November 2, 2026. The Selectboard will hold a meeting after this date where they will hear all ideas being proposed. The Selectboard will ask questions and utilize ideas proposed to develop an application for a long term use proposal process that will determine the final occupants of the building.

4. What to Include in Your Proposal

Ideas should address the following topics, which are the areas upon which the Selectboard will weigh and score ideas:

Vision & Community Benefit

The Concept: What is your vision for the building? How will it serve as a multi-use space?
Historical Preservation: How will your plan accommodate the archival storage of Leverett’s historical documents and artifacts?
Community Impact: How does this use benefit Leverett residents and the community? How will you engage neighbors and community members?

Practical Realities & Technical Constraints

Septic & Water: Based on the provided Tighe & Bond report, how does your proposed use impact water consumption and wastewater? (e.g., Does your idea require public restrooms, commercial kitchen use, or low-impact foot traffic?)
Permits & Zoning: What local permits or zoning variances do you anticipate needing to make this project legal and safe?
Parking & Access: How much parking will your idea require, and how do you propose handling traffic flow at the 1 Shutesbury Road site to accommodate your planned use?

Financial Sustainability & Grants

Ongoing Costs: How will this project cover its basic operational costs (heating, electricity, maintenance, rent) so it does not become a financial burden to taxpayers? Will it generate revenue, or rely on community fundraising?
Grant Opportunities: Will your use need ongoing grant funds to be successful, if yes, what are these sources and are they available indefinitely?

Team & Collaboration

Who You Are: Tell us about you, your group, or your committee. Why are you passionate about this project?
Collaborators: List any organizations you hope to partner with
Experience: Please list any relevant experience you and/or your collaborators have in operating the use proposed.

Posted: to General Town News on Mon, Sep 14, 2026
Updated: Mon, Sep 14, 2026