The Tremont Nail Master Plan Committee will propose that a portion of the town-owned Tremont Nail property become the site of a senior citizens housing project.

In its written proposal to the Board of Selectmen, finalized last week, the committee looked for "ways of taking the land and supplying a need of the town," committee chairman Alan Slavin said.

Because there are many people on the waiting list for senior housing, the committee suggested splitting the property and using part of it for the construction of housing units for seniors, which would generate property tax revenue for the town.  Slavin said the historically significant factory building would not be affected because the land, which once held housing for factory workers, can accommodate additional buildings.

The committee plans to discuss the proposal in detail at a future Selectmen's meeting.

The town purchased the historic factory complex and its 7 acres of land in 2004. At the time, nails were still being manufactured at what was the country's oldest continuously operating nail maker. Despite initial expectations that the nail company would remain as a tenant, it vacated the premises shortly after the town's purchase. How to repair, redevelop and use the historic but decaying Tremont Nail property has been a subject of debate and often contention since its acquisition.

Slavin said the Master Plan Committee is also proposing that the property's office building be leased to an outside company, creating income for the town, or that the town move a current office from the Multi-Service Center to the Tremont Nail site to free space.

"We're just starting to throw things out now to see what the town thinks can work," Slavin said. "You don't want to wait until all of a sudden you have money available before you have your plans placed" because the money could be gone before plans are decided on.