Developers present Laconia Village master plan; construction likely in phases starting 2028 at the earliest

Representatives of the Pillsbury Group presented a conceptual master plan for the Laconia Village redevelopment of the former Laconia State School property.

Kevin Smith, project manager, said the development covers 217 acres and is intended to be phased over years with an emphasis on mixed-use gateway, housing clusters, a civic campus and preserved open space. Smith said the team received master-plan sign-off from city staff and has a planned land closing with the state at the end of July; he estimated that construction could start ‘‘at the earliest’’ in late 2027 but more likely in 2028 because of necessary approvals.

Outstanding items include NH Department of Transportation review and sign-off of the traffic plan and completion of the sewer membership transfer from the state to the city, Smith said. He noted that the master plan does not authorize immediate construction—individual site plans for each phase will return to planning and the public for review and comment.

Councilors asked about traffic impacts at Elm Street and North Main Street, student-population projections for local schools and energy strategies given likely unavailability of natural gas for years. Smith said a traffic scoping meeting with DOT and planning staff has shaped mitigation ideas and that fiscal impacts and school projections were covered in the fiscal impact statement submitted with the master-plan materials. The developers agreed to provide storyboard-style renderings for public display and to keep traffic and school impact documents on file with the planning department.

With DOT sign-off, sewer transfer resolved and site-plan approvals, the team anticipates moving into the first phase (a mixed-use gateway) once financing and permits are in place.