By Devon Cormier
Staff Writer

About 40 residents showed up to a Hooksett Planning Board meeting Tuesday, March 21, fearing the town could lose one of its trademarks - the sprawling lawn in front of the library and Mount St. Mary's Apartments.

ROLLING VISTA . The view of the grounds at the current Mount St. Mary's Apartments should be preserved forever under current restrictions on the property. Residents and library officials were concerned the land would be developed with the conversion of the apartments into condominiums. The library is to the left of the apartment building. (Ginger Kozlowski Photo)

To the appreciation of residents, the developer who is buying Mount St. Mary's came prepared with a plan designating that area as open space, which under town definitions means forever.

Brady Sullivan Properties is purchasing the apartment building and the land around it from owner Dick Anagnost. Brady Sullivan got approval from the planning board at that meeting to convert the apartments into condominiums with a few conditions. Each unit will be owned, not rented.

However, when developer Peter Holden presented the plans for Brady Sullivan at a March 7 hearing, the map used then designated the open space in front of the library as expandable land, not open space. The planning board tabled the application. Members of the board expressed concern about the plan because the area was designated as open space in 1997 when New Hampshire College, now called Southern New Hampshire University, gave the library building to the town.

Resident Kathleen Northrup asked the pressing question of the night.

"If the owner of the property can designate it as open space forever, then why did this come up at all after New Hampshire College designated it open space?"

Dick Marshall, chairman of the planning board, said there just wasn't a good answer.

"This board never wavered on the fact that it was open space," Marshall said. "I'm not sure what went through their minds but I bet they'll never do it again."

Residents flocked to the meeting after library trustee Mary Farwell attended the March 7 hearing out of concern for the library and noted that there was no open space designation for the lawn. Farwell got the word out and residents came prepared for a fight. After Holden presented the revised plan, which included the open space, mumbles from the audience ceased but the questions still flowed. Resident Mike Sorel suggested to the board and to Doug St. Pierre, town council representative, that an abstract and title be drawn up by professionals.

"So many easements went to the town and St. Mary's and the property behind it," Sorel said. "I think this is an opportunity to really understand what the town has and what the town does not have."

St. Pierre agreed to put the issue on a town council agenda. Sorel and other residents also asked that a deed be drawn up for the St. Mary's property that includes the open space. The lawyers for Anagnost and Brady Sullivan both agreed. Holden, of Brady Sullivan, also agreed to go around the property and set pins if they were not already set, which residents were concerned about.

With that, the board asked only that the plans be approved by their attorney first, and bills for the review of the plans be paid by Brady Sullivan. After all the conditions are fulfilled, the condo conversion will begin. Many residents left satisfied that the open space will be preserved.

"I am so pleased with the turnout and the support for the library," said new library director Heather Shumway. "I just want to thank everyone who came out to support this." However, other residents left concerned that the town will be losing an important asset: affordable housing.

"The planning board shares the same concerns you do," said Marshall. "But the fact remains that we can't do anything about this conversion. We will have to look out for affordable housing in the future and face affordable housing issues as this town