GREENFIELD — The city’s plans to demolish the former District 7 School at 46 Severance St. prompted discussion of tracking and mapping Greenfield’s city-owned historic structures during a Historical Commission meeting Thursday night.

According to Recreation Director Christy Moore, the former school, which has been vacant for approximately 20 years, is in a state of disrepair and is also contaminated with asbestos, lead paint and other hazardous materials. As the building faces significant structural damage, Moore said the city, since 2023, has been planning to demolish it, refurbish the baseball diamond in the back of the lot, and build a park and playground.

“This has been a park for ages, so we want to maintain it as a park, but just reactivate it for the community. … There was a gentleman who, in the 1980s, played ball at that field and shared with me — I was unaware, but there was snow on the ground — that there’s actually a water fountain and there’s picnic tables. However, the trees have all encroached on the outfield,” Moore said. “I’m sure that this spring, if I walk out there, hopefully I can find where that fountain was.”

Historical Commission member Jeremy Ebersole, noting that the building was constructed in the 1870s, suggested that the board strike a deal with a potential investor in which the former school is sold for a dollar to someone willing to cover the costs of moving the structure to another lot. He added that the structure could be repurposed as a home for the right buyer.

“This is the oldest wooden schoolhouse left in Greenfield. I personally don’t feel wedded to it staying in this position, which is not its original space. Yes, let’s revitalize a space that doesn’t have a good use,” Ebersole said. “I just think it’s a shame to lose the historic building entirely when it has historic significance to the town. Buildings this small are not as difficult to move … and there may be a use for it, for housing.”

The hefty costs of hiring a company to remove the hazardous materials and moving a derelict building would render the concept of relocating the school unlikely, the mayor’s Chief of Staff Erin Anhalt noted. Anhalt added that it’s unlikely the property will qualify for grant programs used to refurbish old structures for reuse as housing.

Anhalt also mentioned that, given the discussion of freezing federal funds in Washington, the city is hesitant to plan grant-funded projects.

“When we take ownership of houses, there are people who we can sell houses to to furbish them and bring them up to code, to use as something like rental housing,” Anhalt said. “I don’t think this will qualify under those programs.”

Following Moore’s slideshow presentation of the property, which depicted crumbling walls, chimneys and staircases, Ebersole noted that if the city had maintained the property over the last two decades, it would have preserved the structure and ultimately cost the city less.

In response to Ebersole’s remarks, Anhalt suggested that the Historical Commission work to map out all the historic properties owned by the city. Commission Chair Margo Jones noted that the state has a database of historic areas, but that the commission would be happy to take city officials to see local, city-owned historic sites.

Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.