After delays, state says it will close on 220-acre Laconia property in March

After two months-long delays, the state says it will close its $21.5 million deal on the 220-acre Laconia State School property on March 13. The state has tried to sell the property, which needs considerable work, including the removal of dilapidated buildings, for decades.

The state has required that the buyers pay in cash.

Charlie Arlinghaus, commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, announced the closing Wednesday at the Executive Council meeting. The project, which calls for a mix of workforce and market-rate housing, and senior living facilities, has raised concerns because the person leading it has a history of tax liens and has faced a lawsuit from an investor in another project.

The developer, Robynne Alexander, has also never led such a massive development. She has said “Legacy at Laconia” will include 1,260 housing units, 320 of them workforce housing and 195 for independent and assisted living and memory care, down from 590 in the initial proposals. The plan also calls for a 200-room hotel.

The city of Laconia has asked that Alexander and her team begin their work by replacing the sewer and water systems on the site, a project that is expected to cost millions. City officials have said they would oppose a development plan that focuses just on the portion of the property along Route 106.