A task force in Brunswick is trying to determine the best future for the now-vacant Hawthorne School, which most recently served as Brunswick School Department offices.
The most likely use for the town-owned property on Federal Street is housing, which could be mixed with commercial space or some other use, Chrissy Adamowicz, the town’s project manager, said.
The task force is considering several options for housing, including affordable, subsidized, market-rate or luxury units, or senior living.
“I think a lot of people instinctually say housing is perfect for there, and we have a housing crisis,” Adamowicz said in an interview.
Several former Maine schools have been converted into housing, including Reed School in Portland, which now contains market-rate units and a child care facility, as well as the Plummer School in Falmouth, which is now senior living.
Other ideas for the former school include commercial or municipal uses — including a day care, municipal building, bed and breakfast, store, or a new school, Sally Costello, the town’s economic and community development director, said at a neighborhood meeting Thursday night.
The task force is currently collecting community input about what uses should be prioritized at the site through a survey. The group also led an open house at the building on Feb. 21.
Hawthorne School originally served as Brunswick’s high school. It burned down in 1915 and was restored in 1916. In the 1930s, it was converted into an elementary school and remained that way until 2009, when it became school administrative offices.
“I think people are generally interested in the history of the building; it’s an important building. A lot of people in the community went to school there,” Adamowicz said.
The school department vacated Hawthorne School in June after moving its offices to the Coffin School, and the town established a task force to gather public input on reuse.
Several commentors during the task force’s community meeting Thursday night expressed their support for some form of affordable housing at the former Hawthorne School.
After the task force collects results from its survey and community outreach, the town is planning on issuing a request for proposals to developers around early spring, Adamowicz said.
From there, task force members will evaluate the proposals and bring their suggestion to the Town Council, Costello said Thursday. If the council approves the project, construction could begin as soon as 2028.