Jaffrey will receive more than $400,000 in grant funding for the future demolition of the former St. Patrick’s School on Main Street.

During Monday’s meeting, the Select Board accepted the $414,000 in InvestNH grant funding, provided by the Department of Business and Economic Affairs, to demolish the building. In November, the town conditionally approved a project for the site, including subdividing the property into three separate lots. One of the new lots, which contains a stone building, will be left as it is. The other two lots, the lot where the current school building sits and the lot behind it, would be developed into a total of 58 housing units.

According to plans for the development from applicant MJ & MJ Realty Ventures, it will include 14 duplex-style homes, each with two units, built and sold at market rate. On the third lot, there would be a 30-unit apartment building which would provide housing within the state’s “workforce” definition, meaning they are considered affordable for the average worker in the county.

Based on the land area in the newly created parcels, both the duplexes and the apartment would create an amount of units allowed under the town’s density rules, but the town does not allow 30 units in a single building without special permissions. As part of the conditions for approval for the project, the applicant must gain a conditional use permit that provides relief from the town’s zoning conditions, which only allow up to eight units per building, in order to build the 30-unit apartment.

Building is expected to take place no earlier than late 2026 or 2027, but before building can be started, the former school building, empty for years, must be demolished.

Planning and Economic Development Director Jo Anne Carr said she has worked with MJ & MJ to secure funding for the demolition and abatement of the property, which has been identified to have some hazardous materials, including lead and asbestos. Town Manager Jon Frederick said the town participated in the bidding process for the demolition of the property. The initial low bid was under $400,000, Frederick explained, but that company had since reassessed the bid, and came back with an adjusted bid that was about $1.2 million.

“Now, we’re seeking other alternatives, asking other vendors to come in with a price,” Frederick said.

The town also accepted a $10,000 donation for a separate downtown project – the upcoming construction of a five-leg roundabout at the intersection of Route 202, Main Street, Route 124, Blake Street and Stratton Road. The state Department of Transportation is expected to pay for the majority of the project, but the town will be involved in some aesthetic decisions and have to pay for a portion of those.

Residents Jack and Stephanie Minteer donated $10,000 toward those improvements. The board unanimously accepted the donation, which will be added to the town’s Downtown Tax Increment Finance District capital reserve, and earmarked for the Route 202 improvement project.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.