Exeter Firm Wants to Buy Portsmouth Landmark

Portsmouth officials on Wednesday unsealed four bids for the former Connie Bean Recreation Center on Daniel Street in that city and revealed that an Exeter firm has submitted the highest offer.

According to Lori MacGuinnis, the city's purchasing coordinator who read the names of the four bidders at City Hall and their bids, Steven P. Wilson of Hampshire Corp. in Exeter submitted the highest bid of $1,287,500. The Katz Group of Portsmouth's bid was $1,236,000 and Portsmouth restauranteur Jay McSharry submitted the third highest bid of $1,030,000. Costas Enterprises in Dover submitted the fourth highest bid of $532,522.

“All four of the bidders have been qualified by the City Manager to participate in a live auction tomorrow at the Connie Bean Center. The auction will be conducted by Paul McInnis, the next step,” said City Attorney Robert Sullivan.

The live auction will take place at the former Daniel Street recreational facility on Thursday at 1 p.m. and there is no way to know for sure if the highest bidder on Wednesday will ultimately purchase the city-owned property or if one of the other three bidders will come out on top.

Sullivan explained that all four bidders were required to submit a $50,000 bid deposit, which will be returned to the three bidders who do not end up purchasing the property.

At this point, Sullivan said the bidders were not required to state how they want to redevelop the former Connie Bean center. He said they are required to maintain the exterior of the main building, which was constructed in 1916, as well as following the city's existing zoning board and Planning Board requirements.

The City Council voted in August to sell the former Connie Bean Recreation Center after the city received approval from the Rockingham County Superior Probate Court to clear the charitable restrictions that are part of the former recreation center's deed.The city's new Connie Bean Recreation Center located next to Portsmouth Middle School opened in September.

Since the council voted to sell the property, there has been a great deal of debate over how the former recreation center should be redeveloped. During a public hearing at City Hall on Nov. 27, city residents indicated they favored seeing a portion of the former recreation center turned into a new Senior Center with some of the existing site set aside for additional parking.