Claremont — Plans to restore the historic farmhouse on Route 12A, commonly referred to as the Hunter property, will not be pursued by the nonprofit organization that had the high bid of $82,000 at last month’s auction.

Northern Heritage Mills failed to close on the property by Friday’s deadline and consequently, local businessman Bob Connelly, who was the second highest bidder at $81,000, is next in line to buy the dilapidated home.

“My plan is to restore it and keep it in the Connelly family,” said Connelly, who expects to complete the purchase no later than the end of next week. “We are doing the paperwork right now.”

Connelly said he wants to get to work as soon as possible.

“It needs immediate attention and it will get it,” he said by phone. “We want to make sure it doesn’t fall down. First thing we want to do is get it cleaned up. We are going to secure it and make it weather-tight.”

City officials and auctioneer Richard Sager both confirmed Friday that Northern Heritage Mills of Claremont was not able to come up with the balance of the money for the sale.

“I got the call this morning,” said Sager, with Sager and Haskill of Ossipee, N.H., about how he was informed that Northern Heritage Mills would not be buying the property. “We had a feeling they might not close based on recent communications.”

A phone message left Friday for Gerry DeMuro, of South Acworth, N.H., president of Northern Heritage Mills, was not immediately returned.

DeMuro attended the auction at the community center in Claremont with Len Weldon, an oral surgeon from Keene, N.H., who placed the $82,000 bid and was required to put a 10 percent deposit down the same day.

After the auction, DeMuro said they wanted to restore the farmhouse — built around 1800 — and create an educational institute focusing on the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields for young women. Additionally, DeMuro spoke of using the nearly 10-acre parcel for a working farm and a museum to display and demonstrate many of the artifacts he has collected that date to the 19th and early 20th century.

 Connelly, 59, has lived in Claremont since the early 1970s and said he took notice of the property every time he drove by it and did his homework before deciding to bid.

“For years, I felt like that house was calling me,” he said. “I think it really needs somebody to take care of it.”

Because it sits on a main road leading into Claremont, Connelly said it is important the house and surrounding property be improved to give a good impression to motorists.

Connelly said he was the sole bidder when the price reached $49,000 and thought he had the property before Northern Heritage Mills began bidding and the two went back and forth until Connelly, who was communicating his bids by phone to two people at the auction, stopped at $81,000.

“I figured they would have the money,” he said of Northern Heritage Mills. “Well, at least the city will get its taxes back.”

The city took the property from Roy Hunter through back taxes a few years ago, and at the time, about $70,000 was owed. The foundation needs to be rebuilt and the property is littered with tires and other items.

City officials said the buyers of the other eight properties auctioned, which included the former Goodwin Community Center, completed the purchases.

 

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