ROCKLAND — By Friday, May 3, the most recent owners of the former Bicknell Building, off of Tillson Avenue, had chosen its successor, halting further hopes and speculation of the lot’s future usage.

During the Monday, May 6, agenda-setting meeting of the Rockland City Council, however, efforts to change the building’s future continued in the form of a question by Councilor Valli Geiger: Can the City take ownership of the building by eminent domain?

As recently as late March, a potential developer, Valerie Landsburg, had eyes on the Bicknell property, presenting a plan to the City that would establish a mixed use of shops and possibly housing to that location. In order for that to happen, Rockland would have needed to rezone the industrial/commercial area in order to include residential, and Chapter 19, Sec. 19-304 Waterfront/TAAOOZ; Residential Uses was subsequently added to the May City Council agenda for consideration.

While the City continued to believe that Landsburg had a chance of assuming the property deed, former owner Rockland Granite Company began transferring the title to Dupont Nutrition and Health, which owns multiple adjacent buildings.

“Dupont continues to oppose the proposed zoning ordinance change to include residential uses for portions of Tillson Avenue,” said Dupont Plant Manager Jeff Hamilton, at the beginning of the May 6 meeting. “Pedestrian, vehicle safety – a use for which this long-standing industrial/commercial and retail zone of the city of Rockland is not aligned – remains the key concern of Dupont, and most likely other neighboring commercial and industrial business.”

Hamilton spoke of the manufacturer’s recent demonstration of its long term commitment to the Rockland plant by purchasing adjacent property, including the former Bicknell Building.

However, later in the meeting, Geiger asked City Attorney Mary Costigan if the Supreme Court case Kelo v. City of New London was relevant in the Bicknell issue. She, an advocate of bringing affordable housing to Rockland, requested a future conversation on the subject.

“Does Rockland have the ability – should it so choose – to take the Bicknell lot by eminent domain?” she asked.

The attorney and city manager are to research further.

The last remaining residents of Tillson Avenue continue to live there in the one remaining house.

Off-duty Coast Guard members find housing in neighboring towns; yet, when on duty, they sleep in upstairs rooms of the Coast Guard Station just a few feet away from Bicknell.

“The Point,” as the Tillson region was once known, was an active residential neighborhood until about 1956.

“This is much wider and larger than any one lot, so I think it’s perfectly appropriate to leave it on [the agenda], and hopefully it will pass,” said Geiger.

See previous article:

Rockland horse fountain re-installation reminder of harder, simpler living