Braintree council accepts deed in lieu for Elmwood Park parcel to enable brownfields assessment

The Town of Braintree on July 7 unanimously approved a resolution accepting a deed in lieu of foreclosure for parcel 3020‑0‑83B (Elmwood Park) under Mass. Gen. Law ch. 60 §77C, enabling the town to consolidate ownership of three adjoining parcels formerly associated with Argonaut Corporation and to pursue site assessment and potential remediation.

The treasurer‑collector recounted the property history: Argonaut Corporation acquired the lots in 1986, began accruing unpaid taxes in the late 1980s, and was administratively dissolved in 1998. The town holds liens and took two parcels through foreclosure in 2002; the third parcel (83B) remained in Argonaut’s name until recently and had a lien placed in 2015. The treasurer‑collector said the town’s receivable on the books is about $66,000 in committed taxes, while total outstanding taxes, interest and costs appear to exceed $200,000; assessed value is recorded as $198,600.

Treasurer‑Collector (name not specified in the record) described dilapidated buildings on the site, underground storage tanks and visible oil contamination and said the town already owns two of the three parcels. Condensing ownership by accepting a deed in lieu would allow the town to seek brownfields site‑assessment grants to determine contamination levels and to apply for remediation funding if needed. The treasurer said the town temporarily revived a defunct Argonaut Corporation to complete the transfer and estimated the deed‑in‑lieu process must be completed within a revival window (roughly through Thanksgiving 2026).

A resident asked whether taking ownership would increase the town’s cleanup liability; the treasurer responded that the town already owns contaminated parts of the site and that owning the third parcel expands options including grant‑funded site assessment, sale “as is” with disclosure to buyers, or town‑led remediation if grant dollars are obtained.

Councilors thanked staff for the work to resolve a long‑standing problem and moved, seconded and unanimously approved the resolution accepting the deed in lieu. The town will next pursue a site assessment application and potential brownfields grant funding to determine remediation needs and costs.

What happens next: With the deed accepted, the treasurer‑collector and appropriate staff will pursue federal or state brownfields grants for site assessment and remediation; the council will be briefed on the assessment results and options for sale, redevelopment or cleanup.