A city government complex, residential use, and an industrial site were all uses that city councilors asked Mayor Carolyn Kirk's office and the quasi-governmental agency MassDevelopment to pursue as the city considers what to do with Fuller School if the school committee declares the former elementary school surplus.
The council and School Committee listened to MassDevelopment's presentation on four scenarios for the use and re-use of Fuller, Tuesday night and afterward asked the agency and Kirk's office to look at other uses for the property as well.
Several councilors said the study was limited and did not take enough scenarios into consideration. School Committee members told councilors and Kirk that still have some work to do before they decide what to do with the building.
While municipal complexes are out of the organization's purview said Mayor Carolyn Kirk, Councilors Jackie Hardy, Greg Verga, and Bob Whynott said the city should undertake a similar study on its own, rather than rule the possibility out entirely.
"Without bringing that proposal to the table," said Hardy, "we rob taxpayers (of an option)."
Whynott said many of the residents he's spoken to would like that option to be part of the discussion around Fuller School. He added that the city should pursue that a study as well.
"We have no intention of (pursuing) that," Kirk said Tuesday evening.
Fuller School, she said has 175,000 square feet of space. The city would need about a third of that for all of it's office needs.
Using the whole facility as a municipal complex, she added would waste the additional space. She said MassDevelopment's community center model could provide office space to meet much of the city's needs.
The organization's draft study proposes potential four uses: A "big box" retail extension of Gloucester Crossing, commercial office space, commercial office space and a joint public safety facility to house the city's Police and Fire departments or a community center with office space, a joint public safety facility, and facilities suitable to house an organization like the Cape Ann YMCA.
The study comes with a $56,000 price tag, according to the agency. But that will be taken out of whatever profits the city garners from a possible sale of Fuller School.
Councilor Bruce Tobey asked MassDevelopment to pursue industrial re use as part of the options. Both Tobey and Verga said the agency spent an inordinate amount of time on the YMCA option as well.
"If I were another non profit," said Verga, "I would wonder why not include me in the process."
Pamela McKinney from Bryne McKinney and Associates, a consulting firm working with MassDevelopment said the company's options provide possible uses, and aren't the four set in stone options for the site.
But, without the School Committee's declaration of the property as surplus, the scenarios are speculation.
Jonathan Pope, committee chairman, said the panel is doing its due diligence by considering both the financial and educational impact of turning over Fuller.
The committee is also conducting a survey of the school community to see if residents want to continue with the current "neighborhood" schools, or consolidate to Fuller.
"We do have to do our due diligence in providing for the 3,000 students we're charged to provide an education for," he said.
Steven Fletcher may be contacted at 1-978-283-7000 x3455, or sfletcher@gloucestertimes.com. Follow him on Twitter at @stevengdt.
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