With $480K Price Tag, Malden Asks State To Part With Courthouse

MALDEN, MA — The state has completed an appraisal of the old Malden District Courthouse, which the city wants to convert into an arts and cultural center.

The 20,000-square-foot property on Summer Street is owned by the state, which valued the building and a vacant lot across the street at $48,000. The city can now move to have the state Legislature approve of the acquisition.

"For us to achieve this major goal it requires us to first achieve several smaller goals along the way," Mayor Gary Christenson said this week. "The first step in that process was having an appraisal done that would determine whether the initial acquisition was economically feasible."

A steering committee comprised of representatives from cultural organizations and artistic disciplines was formed to develop a business model for the operation of the building. The model will propose a program of uses for the space based on community engagement.

"With the acquisition price set, this next process is going to represent the biggest challenge in making this goal a reality," Christenson said. "In talking to other cities, the challenge is always in coming up with a model that is economically viable. The team will continue to work toward that goal, while we move forward on a parallel path with the legislative process."

The building, located at 89 Summer Street, was formerly the First District Court of Eastern Massachusetts. It was built in 1922, with an addition put in 16 years later. The lot across the street is 0.3 acres and serves as parking for the building.