Taunton council declines to surplus former nursing home; asks city to collect demolition cost bids

Taunton Municipal Council on Tuesday voted 6–3 not to declare the former Taunton Nursing Home at 350 Norton Ave surplus, and asked city staff to solicit bids for demolition costs so the council can consider whether to remove the unsafe structure.

The vote follows a lengthy public-property committee session and more than two hours of public comment in which neighbors, youth-sports volunteers, veterans’ advocates and city officials debated housing, recreation and long-term municipal needs for the site. Supporters of keeping the parcel under city control argued the land should be preserved for future school or recreational uses; advocates for redevelopment emphasized the city’s maintenance costs and veterans’ housing needs.

Why it matters: The vacant nursing-home building has been unused since mid-2019 and, city officials said, is costing taxpayers roughly $200,000 a year to maintain. Councilors and members of the public raised competing priorities — preserving open space near two schools and youth sports complexes versus using the existing building or site to add affordable or veterans housing — while city staff warned the structure is deteriorating and will require either significant repairs or removal.

Council discussion and motion

Councilor Coit moved that the council decline to declare the property surplus. The motion included an amendment directing the city superintendent of buildings to solicit and report demolition cost estimates to the council. That amendment,…