Bidding opened for sale of Wareham's historic old Town Hall

May 15, 2018

The old Town Hall at 505 Main St., now home to Wareham Community Television, is up for sale.

Town officials are accepting offers for the historic property with the hope that the television station will be the highest bidder. Bids must be submitted no later than 1 p.m. on June 25 in the town administrator’s office.

Voters at last year’s April Town Meeting authorized the sale with the understanding that Wareham Community Television will likely purchase the historic property. The town currently has a 10-year lease with Wareham Community Television, which would remain in place should someone else place the highest bid.

“Whoever would purchase it could not convey it to anyone else, it could only be returned to the town,” Town Administrator Derek Sullivan said after the authorization was approved.

Funds from the sale will be put in the town’s sale of real estate account.

Steve Ruiz, Wareham Community Television's director, previously said he hopes his group will be the highest bidder on the property. He hopes to put a 1,800 square-foot addition on the building. No taxpayer money will be used to build the addition, as all the funds will come from Wareham Community Television.

The station has used the building since 2009. In that time, the building has been gutted and rebuilt.

“A lot of people have a concern that they would be losing a historic building,” Ruiz said. “But the town will never lose the property. If it gives it to us, it never gets lost.”

The property is in the historic district, so Ruiz said he doesn’t anticipate many other bidders trying to obtain the property because of restrictions on the building. He said plans for construction will maintain the integrity of the building and the New England style of architecture.