Lowell council declines proposed 15-year lease for senior center at 276 Broadway after heated public hearing

Lowell — The Lowell City Council declined a proposed 15-year lease that would have continued the senior center at 276 Broadway under private ownership, voting against the measure after extensive public comment and repeated questions about legal terms, back rent and funding.

The motion before the council would have authorized the city manager to "enter into a lease agreement with Nicholas C. Sarris as trustee of CityBarnes Trust" for the property. After more than two hours of public testimony from residents and legal representatives, and lengthy council questioning of the city solicitor and finance staff, the motion failed on the recorded vote.

Residents urged caution and additional review. "Please vote no on this lease tonight," said Ryan Ferria, a Highlands neighborhood resident, who recommended the council seek outside real-estate counsel, an auditor memo on payments made under prior agreements and a possible RFP for alternate senior-center sites. Ferria also put several per-square-foot comparisons on the record and said the proposed $22.70…