MEETING PREVIEW
MANCHESTER, NH — The future of the 144-bed Sununu Youth Services Center will take center stage on Oct. 16 when the public is invited to hear from city and state officials at Brady Sullivan Tower, 1750 Elm St., to discuss what many describe as a once-in-a-generation redevelopment opportunity for Manchester, the region, and the state.
Led by Executive Councilor John Stephen, the “informal meeting” will be centered around the sale of the 150-acre state-owned property, which could transform the city’s North End. But it has been made clear that any plan must start with input from neighborhood residents who have lived alongside the facility for generations which, has for years, served as a juvenile detention facility. The meeting, as advertised, is meant to be a time and place to “share ideas, thoughts and concerns,” about the sale and possible uses.
“We are going to have the highest and best use for that property — that’s a priority,” said Mayor Jay Ruais. “But it’s only going to succeed if the neighborhood is involved at the ground level.”
At Thursday’s meeting, state officials are expected to outline the first step in the redevelopment process which is approving a contract to hire a real estate broker to market the property.
State Administrative Services Commissioner Charlie Arlinghaus said the sale must be carefully timed with the completion of a smaller,“treatment-centered” facility being built in Hampstead for up to 18 youths. That new facility, located next to Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility, is expected to be finished by June 2026.
For several years, the Sununu Center has housed fewer than 20 residents as New Hampshire’s juvenile justice system shifted toward community-based treatment.
Arlinghaus said that as one of the largest developable tracts in Manchester, there will no doubt be he strong interest by developers, once the property is listed for sale.
Unlike most state property transactions, Manchester will not have right of first refusal. Instead, all proceeds from the sale will go to the state settlement fund established to compensate victims of sexual and physical abuse at the Sununu Youth Services Center and its predecessor, the Youth Development Center.
What Happens Next
- Public Meeting: Oct. 16 at Brady Sullivan Tower, 1750 Elm St., 6-8 p.m.
- Agenda: State officials to present the timeline for marketing the property and discuss coordination with the city.
- Next Steps: Approval of a broker contract, followed by the formal listing of the property once the Hampstead facility is complete YDC is vacated.
- Community Role: City residents are encouraged to attend and share feedback as planning begins for potential redevelopment of the site.