Portuguese club redevelopment consultants go to Town Meeting

HUDSON – Funding for environmental consulting services to redevelop the Hudson Portuguese Club into municipal and school offices is on the Town Assembly’s terms of reference.

“It’s a good sized building with lots of land and a ton of parking. I just hope the city supports it. I think this is a great opportunity,” said Board Chairman Scott Duplisea. “Investors and some people who have been with the club for a long time prefer the club, land and buildings to stay with the city.”

This spring, the Select Board began analyze the possibility of acquiring the club.

The pre-town meeting item – Item 10 – asks to raise and appropriate $23,500 to fund a contract with Woodard & Curran, an environmental consultant, to provide environmental consulting services to the Select Board regarding the site.

Duplisea called the article “akin to a building inspection when buying a house.”

The Portuguese Club offered the city to buy the approximately 10-acre site, located at 13 Port Street, from the Select Board last year. After discussions with other city councils and committees, the Select Board decided it was best to serve as the school administration building, as the current building on Apsley Street “is in desperate need of repair”, according to Duplisea.

He said the school department had discussed moving the school administration building to the old Packard Street police station, but it would have been too expensive to fix.

Duplisea said a site assessment has been obtained and the results of a feasibility study will soon be considered by the Select Board.

A majority vote at the municipal assembly is required for the adoption of this article. If Section 10 is approved at the town hall, Duplisea said it would then be included as a voting question for the town hall election.

“There is nothing else in the city of this size that could possibly be obtained by the city and used not only for municipal and school purposes, but also for recreational purposes. I find it attractive, although it’s going to cost money,” Duplisea said.

The municipal assembly is scheduled for November 21.