Mayor James J. Fiorentini > Press Release

April 30, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mayor; Amory Should Go To Firefighters Credit Union

Mayor James J. Fiorentini today said that it was his recommendation that the armory building on Kenoza Avenue go to the Firefighter’s Credit Union. The Mayor said the he recommended rejecting the competing bid from developers to put in a strip mall.

The Mayor said there were a number of reasons for his recommendation among them being that the firefighters had done a great deal of volunteer work on the building, the building is not zoned for commercial use and could not be used for a strip mall.

The Mayor said he would ask the council to authorize him to execute a purchase and sales agreement with the credit union. Further negotiations and concern for the preservation of the building were of the Mayor’s two main concerns. Further negotiations will be necessary to pursue the best interests of the City of Haverhill.

“It is my recommendation to the city council that this building be preserved. The best way to preserve is to sell it to the Fire Department Credit Union.”

The Mayor continued to say;

“After conferring with our economic development and planning director, I do not believe that it would be in the city’s best interest to rezone this area for a commercial strip mall. I recommend selling the building only with conditions that would allow for preservation for public use.”

The final decision on the distribution of any land lies with the City Council.