MANCHESTER, N.H. – Any decision on a requested variance for proposed residential units at the former Hallsville School will have to wait until at least July after the Manchester Zoning Board of Adjustment voted to table the variance requests during the June 2025 meeting.
Brian Pratt of Fuss and O’Neil represented applicant Kyle York in seeking variance from the city’s zoning ordinances for multi-family dwellings, indoor health and fitness centers, parking setbacks and business parking in a residential district. York seeks to convert the former school, located at 275 Jewett St. into a multi-family dwelling with no more than 40 units. York has proposed to lease the gymnasium to the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, which currently uses the gymnasium for pickleball.
This proposal is the latest of several since the school was closed, most notably a proposal from Southern New Hampshire Services (SNHS) and Granite State Children’s Alliance that could not obtain proper funding.
Built in 1891, Pratt says that York seeks to maintain the historic nature of the building and also tear down the schoolyard fence on the edge of the property and replace it with 10-foot green space buffers. Each unit is expected to get at least one parking space, with the units consisting of studios, one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom apartments. A building manager is expected to be on-site and rents for the properties will likely be set in the range of one third of 30 to 90 percent of Area Median Monthly Income for Manchester in 2025 per U.S. Housing and Urban Development guidelines, with that figure estimated somewhere between approximately $900 and $3,000 per month.
It was also noted that since most of the building has been vacant for several years, it has begun to decay is now giving local teenagers “practice in breaking and entering skills.”
While it was argued that creating residential units would be more in-line with the residential character of the neighborhood, several neighbors expressed concerns that the higher density in the proposal compared to nearby parcels would contradict that viewpoint.
There were also concerns over traffic and property values. Mary Roberge, who lives directly next to the gymnasium and has attended numerous meetings about the future of the property, including one where she was the only participant, said that there has been litter left on the property near the gymnasium in the past and her driveway has been blocked on numerous occasions. She told the board that she feared this would escalate if York’s proposal came to fruition.
Pratt replied that the on-site property manager could help alleviate any such issues. He also responded to a neighbor seeking a mixed-use development that such a proposal could jeopardize grant funding from state agencies.
A motion from Craig St. Pierre to approve the variance was defeated in a 2-2 tie. St. Pierre was joined by Robert Breault. Kathryn Beleski and Matthew Carnevale opposed the motion. The motion to table the agenda item was unanimous, with members of the board hoping that additional time can provide further information on any property value impacts to neighbors from the project moving forward.
If the variances are successful, the project would still require approval on several fronts from the Manchester Planning Board before it could obtain permits to move forward.