The Town of Marblehead has begun the process of studying alternative uses for the Coffin School. This will be an on-going effort to work with the general public, key stakeholders, and Town Government to ensure a comprehensive process and outcome.
Please be aware this page will be updated accordingly throughout the year with the latest information available.
Project Materials and Past Meetings
2022 Coffin School Visioning Project
In between 2021 and 2022, the Town of Marblehead and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) worked to engage the community and study the potential reuse of the Coffin School site for housing and position the site for redevelopment. In October 2021, the Coffin School building became vacant as
school operations were shifted to the new Brown School.
Reference Documents – Coffin School Visioning Summary
Municipal Expression of Interest
On August 26th, 2025, the Community Development and Planning department issued a Municipal Expression of Interest (EOI) to explore potential municipal reuse options for the former Coffin Elementary School. The goal was to identify community-serving proposals and assess site readiness for future redevelopment. Responses were due on September 26th, 2025.
The Town received five Expression of Interests (EOIs) for reuse of the former Coffin Elementary School. Proposals included: the Cemetery Department’s request for future burial space (no cost estimate provided); the Municipal Light Department’s plan to install temporary Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to reduce peak demand and lower ratepayer costs; the Recreation & Parks Commission’s proposal for a dog park to replace the Tioga Way facility (estimated cost: $30,000); the Housing Authority’s interest in developing affordable housing through a partnership with a developer (no cost provided); and the Department of Community Development & Planning’s proposal to use the paved lot for temporary boat storage during the 1-3 year disposition process, generating up to $170,000 in revenue over two years while seeking external funding sources for improving site readiness through potential annex demolition, hazardous materials abatement and waste disposal.
Municipal Expression of Interest Responses (PDF)
Request For Information
On October 7th, 2025, the Town released a Request for Information (RFI) for the Coffin School Property. A Request for Information is a tool for the Town to gather preliminary information about the interest and potential uses of the property by interested parties to assist the community in future decision-making. Responses were due October 30th, 2025.
Three responses were received to the Request for Information. The Cemetery Department reiterated its’ EOI proposal. The Housing Authority expanded its concept to include a co-ownership model with a developer, outlining management, tenant services, and funding strategies. Harborlight Homes, a local non-profit developer, proposed a 40-unit affordable housing project that preserves the historic school building and demolishes the annex, with an estimated development cost of $28–32 million.
These responses reflect a range of community-serving priorities, including housing, infrastructure, recreation, and interim revenue generation.
26-17 Coffin School Request for Information
Request for Information Responses (PDF)
Past Community Engagement and Meetings
November 13th, 2025 Community Listening Session #1 Zoom Recording
November 13th, 2025 Community Listening Session #1 Presentation (PDF)