Bidders Tour Crumbling Westboro State Hospital Site

WESTBORO (CBS) -- The former Westboro State Hospital is in serious disrepair--but the town wants to redevelop the property for positive use.

Thirty-six of the former hospital's 100 acres are being sold by the town of Westboro.

On Monday morning, potential bidders got to tour the property, which includes 64 crumbling buildings, a series of tunnels, and a whole lot of open space.

It may look creepy now, but some of the bidders on the property want to see housing or commercial property there.

Westboro Town Manager Jim Molloy told WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones that he envisions an office park on the property.

"A beautiful office complex, built in a campus-like setting, would be ideal," Molloy said.

Single- or multi-family housing is not allowed on the site, but Molloy said a senior home is one of the options being considered.

"Residential over 55 is allowed," he said.

Molloy said the property has been assessed at $13 million.

"We don't expect to get that much for the property, because there is the likelihood that someone would do a lot of demolition, and the demolition costs are estimated to be between five and seven million," he said.

He calls the opening of the bidding process "exciting."

"There's a potential that we could get all of our money back, and still end up with 60 acres of open space, some recreational fields, and the 15 acres for future municipal use, all at no cost to the taxpayers locally," said Molloy.

One building--the stately administration building--might be salvageable.

"But there's also a lot of damage to the brick work, and the foundation, and the roofs, and water's been infiltrating into the building for a number of years," Molloy said.

There are about two dozen potential bidders interested in the property, and bids are due September 6.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports