Town Meeting Gives Selectmen Authority to Lease Old Avery

The Board of Selectmen now will draft a request for proposal.

  After more than 30 minutes of debate, Dedham Town Meeting members voted by voice vote to give authority to the Board of Selectmen to enter into a lease agreement for the former Avery Elementary School. Selectmen now will look to draft a request for proposal, likely for an arts and community center. The non-profit group Mother Brook Arts and Community Center is the only entity to show interest. Proponents of the article, seen by some Town Meeting members as a referendum on an arts center, said it filled a desire in the town, worked to revitalize East Dedham and would re-occupy the vacant school building quicker than any other project. "This is a great position to be in because this body, a few years ago, voted to believe and reinvest in …

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Arts Center in Sprint to September, But With Hurdles

The Mother Brook Arts and Community Center is full-steam ahead, but a couple things could derail the project.

  In the grand scheme of development projects, what members of the Mother Brook Arts and Community Center are trying to do is like an Olympic-speed 100-yard dash. Kids moved out of the former Avery Elementary School on April 23, and MBACC leaders want artists painting, sculpting and teaching by September. "This is something that could be so unique to Dedham and be so unique to [East Dedham] - part of the efforts we are involved in to revitalize this area," said Joe Heisler, a supporter of the project and Mother Brook Community Group member. MBACC, formed in early February as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is busy raising funds and in search of volunteers to move the project forward. Moving the arts center forward at such a quick pace would fulfill …

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Mother Brook Arts Group to Detail Plans Tuesday

The newly formed organization will hold a public informational meeting Tuesday at the former Avery School.

  The newly formed Mother Brook Arts and Community Center [MBACC] board will hold an informational meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the former Avery Elementary School at 123 High St. The group, which has filed for non-profit status, is preparing to launch its inaugural outreach and fundraising campaign, according to the organization’s co-chairmen. “We are building a foundation of support among like-minded individuals and community organizations committed to helping us to reach our goal of leasing the site, rehabilitating the facility, and creating a unique cultural resource that local artists, residents and the community all can use,” co-chair Robert Miller said in a statement. The organization will serve as the non-profit vehicle to raise the…

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Dedham Selectmen Accept Avery Arts Center Report

Supporters will now try to form a non-profit group and sign a lease for the building with the town.

  As expected, the Dedham Board of Selectmen unanimously accepted a plan to turn the current Avery Elementary School into a community and arts center, paving way for a non-profit organization to form to step up to the task of readying the school for its new use. The Avery Re-Use Committee spent nearly a year debating a proper use for the 1920s school, and recommended that it be used as studio, gallery and meeting space for artists and community groups. "It was a lot of work - a labor of work," said Avery Re-Use Committee chairman Joe Heisler. "Many [other ideas], while great, were not feasible." Heisler told selectmen Thursday that the project is "value added" and something that Dedham has not offered before, making it a unique challenge …

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Week in Review

A Controversial Fence, Avery Dirt and Long Commutes

A look back at the most notable stories from the last week.

When a letter written by a Whiting Avenue resident was published on Dedham Patch this week, it touched of a hot debate over whether or not a fence should have been erected in the Whiting and Morse avenues area. While attorney Jonathan Eichman maintains that the path that is currently blocked was never established as a public way and that there is no obligation by the town to “keep it open for public passage." Residents like the Clintons, however, believe that their rights have been violated. What’s your take on the situation? Be sure to make your voice heard in the comment section. Elsewhere this week, the School Building Rehabilitation Committee met on Monday night to update residents on the progress of the school and talk further about …

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Selectmen to Discuss Avery Re-Use, Traffic Tonight

The meeting kicks off at 7 p.m.

  After deciding to wait on a vote earlier this month, the Dedham Board of Selectmen will once again revisit the Avery Re-Use Committee Report during tonight’s meeting at Town Hall. Thursday’s agenda calls for a discussion with the Re-Use Committee and there are plans for a vote. The discussion comes on the heels of a letter that the committee circulated this week, which calls for the Avery site to become an arts and community center. Also on tonight’s agenda is a meeting with the Open Space Committee, as well as a visit from Sen. Mike Rush and Rep. Paul McMurtry. Discussions will also focus on the Dedham Public Arts Project, traffic calming in Dedham Sq., and the idea of creating a veterans gift account. Selectmen will also consider a …

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Week in Review

Week in Review: Dedham Stars Dance, Police Make Theft Arrest

A look back at some of the news we covered this week on Dedham Patch.

Arrests Made in Car Part Thefts at Dedham Corp. Station Dedham Police arrested two Dedham residents Wednesday after a string of catalytic converter thefts at an MBTA station parking lot. Avery Arts Center Would Rely on Private Funding, Grant Money Selectmen will consider changing the current Avery Elementary School into an arts and community center. The move would require the board's support and approval from Town Meeting in May. Avery Dirt Pile Would Cost $500K to Remove The School Building Rehabilitation Committee heard bid prices for removal of a dirt pile from behind homes near the new Avery School project. The committee is waiting on grading plans before making its decision on how to proceed. VIDEO: Norfolk DA Calls on Bar Staff to …

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Avery Arts Center Would Rely on Private Funding, Grant Money

The Avery Re-Use Committee will send its unanimous recommendation to the Board of Selectmen.

The learning at the 1920s version of the Avery School is not quite done. The Avery Re-Use Committee unanimously voted Tuesday to recommend that a non-profit organization run an arts and community center out of the soon-to-be vacant school on High Street. The group would rely on private funding and grant money to renovate and run the facility, committee chair Joe Heisler said in a phone interview. "We felt it could meet an unmet need in the town, and could be a financially viable entity, if it is organized correctly," Heisler said.  The recommendation calls for making way for performance arts space, studios, youth and senior activities and meeting space for civic groups, Heisler said. The committee took roughly 12 "grueling" meetings to …

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today: Dec. 6

Today's weather, Avery recommendations and horse thieves vigilantes.

"Five Things you Need to Know Today" is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. 

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Selectman Reynolds Pitches Art Space for Avery

The Avery Re-Use Committee will hold a 'business' meeting in early December to begin whittling down options.

Selectman Paul Reynolds took a step toward a campaign dream Tuesday evening as he presented an idea that would turn the current Avery Elementary School into a place for artists to create, display and learn. Artspace, a company that specializes in restoring old buildings for artistic use, told Reynolds that the Avery School holds potential, Reynolds said.  "We see that other people have done it across the country, so we know it is possible, we know it is feasible," Reynolds said. The Avery Re-Use Committee, tasked with finding a pernament use for the current school has begun thinking about public/private partnerships after many town departments declined use of the facility. The committee is scheduled to make a recommendation to the Board of…

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