Gloucester City Council Unanimously Approves $4.6 Million Purchase of Preschool Building

GLOUCESTER -- April 22, 2025, Gloucester City Council votes 9-0 to borrow $4.6 million and acquire the preschool building at 2 Blackburn Drive by eminent domain. The council approved both a loan order for $4,600,000 and a formal order of taking Tuesday night, authorizing payment of $4,050,000 to owner Cape Ann Medical Center LLC, the fair-market value confirmed by independent appraisal, with $550,000 set aside for repairs and closing costs. Mayor Greg Verga told councillors the city has paid roughly $3.6 million in rent at the former charter school site since 2013 with no equity return, and CFO Connor McCorkle's 20-year financial model projected savings of approximately $2.4 million over owning versus continued leasing at a 3.15 percent bond rate. "It's time to stop that bleeding," Verga said. The council also approved all 12 Community Preservation Committee grant recommendations totaling $968,000, including $100,000 each to the Gloucester Stage Building and the Gloucester Affordable Housing Trust, and rejected 8-1 a proposal to restore a 30-minute parking space on Pleasant Street after the Traffic Commission warned the 15-foot clearance between parked vehicles was a safety hazard.