Norwood Hospital to Lease Two Rooms in Former Aaron Guild School for Childbirth Education Program-August 14, 1982

Although Norwood Hospital officials have previously stated that the medical facility is not interested in purchasing the former Aaron Guild School, the hospital will rent two rooms within the building to house a childbirth education program. Selectmen agreed Tuesday to lease the space to the hospital for an annual fee of $2,600, with the duration of the rental arrangement subject to any future town plans to sell the property.

The former school, situated directly across Washington Street from the hospital, already serves as a functional extension of the medical center’s health programs, housing a rehabilitation exercise initiative for heart attack survivors utilizing the school’s gymnasium.

In other municipal matters during the session, selectmen listened to a redevelopment proposal presented by local businessmen Bruce A. Nelson, a real estate broker, and John T. Curran, a real estate appraiser. The pair outlined plans to demolish the existing three-story commercial block located at the corner of Washington Street and Railroad Avenue and construct a modern two-story brick building in its place. The proposed development features approximately 10,000 square feet of retail and office space alongside parking accommodations for about 35 vehicles. Nelson and Curran intend to pursue lower-cost financing for the project, which is situated within the newly designated Commercial Area Revitalization District (CARD). Curran estimated the overall construction cost at approximately $700,000.

Additionally, the selectmen acted on several neighborhood and municipal items:

• Referred a citizen petition signed by roughly 30 residents of the Azalea Drive and Juniper Drive neighborhood to town counsel, seeking relief from a persistent nuisance involving six to eight barking dogs kenneled at a private residence on Azalea Drive.
• Agreed to publicly advertise for prospective tenants before leasing out the old fire station located at Central Street and Nahatan Street, despite not being legally mandated to do so.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger