A HOLLIS LASER COMPANY PURCHASES FRENCH HALL, CHANGES THE BUILDING'S APPEARANCE AND ADDS A LOADING DOCK TO THE BUILDING
At the August 29,2005 meeting of the
Lands and Building Committee, the Committee approved a proposal from
J P Sercel Associates, Inc., a Hollis laser company, to acquire (at
$1.3 million) and develop French Hall and its surrounding property.
The company specializes in ultraviolet micro-machining equipment and
manufactures biomedical devices, so it seems appropriate to classify
its function as "light industry." There were four other offers to
purchase the building at this same price. Another offer, of $150,000
more than the $1.3 million was made by the Massachusetts College of
Pharmacy. However, the Manchester Housing and Redevelopment
Corporation felt that the Sercel company was more appropriate as the
initial building in its "business park." Paul Borek, Manchester's
Economic Development Director, endorsed the selection, especially
citing employment opportunities that the Sercel company would offer
at present and in the future.
The company, which has been in business for 14 years, plans to expand French Hall from its current 31,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet within the next five years. Additional development in the French Hall area was suggested by another item on the L and B Committee agenda: the proposed purchase of a private home that is located near one of the French Hall parking areas. The Housing and Redevelopment Corporation recommended the purchase of the "Masters property" for $275,000, and the recommendation was approved by the Committee.
On September 7, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved the French Hall sale, although aldermen Ted Gatsas and Frank Guinta felt that one of the other bidders, the Herrington Corporation, would have been more appropriate.
On Thursday, December 1, 2005, at a
Planning Board Public Hearing, the agenda included an application for
a site plan approval for the construction of 2,465 sq. ft. of
building additions to French Hall that were identified as "loading
docks and entrance." (Planning Board approval was required prior to
closing the purchase and sale agreement with the Manchester Housing
and Redevelopment Authority.) At the public participation portion of
meeting, Pat Mattson spoke as a representative of the Sierra Club.
She noted that the Sierra Club greatly regretted: (1) that French
Hall would not be used as an educational facility, preferably one
that would, at least in part, permit environmental education: and (2)
that the Sierra Club continued to support use of the City's portion
of the "UNH Property" for environmental studies and research, as well
as various types of passive recreation.
She then noted that a magnificent stand of white pines was located very close to the back of French Hall and expressed concern that the trees might be cut prior to the loading dock construction. Planning Board member Peter Capano established by questioning the applicant (Arenco, Inc. for Dalser, LLC) that the construction activities would not affect the white pine stand, although it was admitted that considerable tree-cutting would occur during the future expansion projects.
In the photo on the left, taken on July 4, 2006 an early stage in the construction of the "loading dock" is shown. The proximity of part of the white pine stand is very obvious. In the photo on the right, taken on Sept. 10, 2006, the "loading dock" seems to have reached near-completion and unexpectedly appears to be approximately the same height as the building. The size of the structure seems out of keeping with the answer to a question asked of J.P. Sercel by a planning board member. The questioner wanted to find out how much traffic would be created by the day-to-day operations of the company. The answer given was that approximately one truck a day would be making the trip up Hackett Hill Road to the building.
The photo shown below, also taken on Sept.10 ,2006 , shows the side of French Hall, as seen to the left of the loading dock. It is obvious that French Hall has undergone considerable renovation and has "morphed" from a university building into a building more appropriate for an industrial park.
