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Proposal to turn Cogswell School into privately run youth center prompts calls for business plan and technical verification
Summary
Resident Duncan Ingram proposed selling/leasing the Cogswell School to a nonprofit Portsmouth Youth Activity Center for $1, claiming volunteer funding and mold‑mitigation technology would make reuse feasible; councilors requested a formal business plan and independent verification of mitigation, noting extensive needed repairs.
Duncan Ingram presented a proposal to transfer the Cogswell School to a nonprofit Portsmouth Youth Activity Center (501(c)(3)) for $1 or to lease the land for up to 99 years with a town buyback clause, arguing private funding and volunteer support could create a lasting youth facility with minimal expense to taxpayers.
Ingram said a remediation vendor could address mold and mildew and that two rooms could be made usable quickly while additional renovation proceeds; he urged the council to accept the proposal and pointed to community volunteers and potential donors. Council members pressed for details: the chair said repeatedly that the council needed a formal, structured business plan and asked for independent verification of mitigation claims and full estimates for roof, windows, ADA upgrades, plumbing and electrical work. One councilor said several local facilities already host youth programs and questioned whether the Cogswell building is the right location without a full plan. The council did not approve any transfer or binding action; members asked Ingram to return with a formal plan and for the remediation contact to present technical findings.
