North Andover Requests Proposals For Stevens Estate

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — North Andover issued a request Wednesday for proposals to lease or manage the Stevens Estate, a year and a half after town meeting vetoed a plan to lease the mansion to an event management company while transferring the lands to the Conservation Commission.

The new call for proposals seeks a nonprofit or company "to manage or lease the events and conference center facilities at the Stevens Estate at Osgood Hill" while "also protecting the historic nature of property, maintaining the trails and other passive recreational opportunities, preserving the Town’s open space and partnering with the community on educational programming for North Andover residents."

While a specific proposal went down at annual town meeting in 2019, a majority of respondents to a 2020 town survey said the town should consider leasing the property.

The request states that the town has "a preference to work with a non-profit entity" but it will also consider public/private partnerships and private companies.

The request makes clear that the town retains custody of the property and notes that town officials plan to ask town meeting to put a conservation restriction on over 130 acres of the Estate's property.

Proposals must keep the estate accessible to residents, businesses and visitors, expand its use as a special event venue, preserve the architecture and historical integrity and maintain the open space.

Town officials told the Select Board that they expect to have proposals back by late Feb.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.