GREENFIELD — With the sale agreement receiving its final signature on Wednesday, Greenfield Savings Bank now owns the historic Leavitt-Hovey House, finalizing a transaction that began last year under former Mayor Roxann Wedegartner’s administration.

As the sole applicant to the city’s request for proposals, which it published last spring, the bank expects to spend approximately $3 million on the first phase of renovations, building interior, exterior, mechanical, fire protection and accessibility upgrades for the former home of the Greenfield Public Library at 402 Main St. The sale price was $10,000.

“We are happy to add another building to our campus and we’re going to restore it to its original grandeur,” Greenfield Savings Bank President and CEO Thomas Meshako said on Wednesday. “We’re going to put it back to its original gray with the black shutters with a white trim.”

The Leavitt-Hovey House, which was built in 1797 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in the mid-1950s, has been vacant since the city wrapped up construction on the new library building, located next door, last summer.

Tim Blagg, a member of the Historical Commission, previously said the Federal-period building was originally designed as a house for the Leavitt family by designer and builder Asher Benjamin. Over the years, Blagg said the building has been remodeled numerous times and used for an array of purposes, including a doctor’s office.

Meshako, a Greenfield resident, said the bank intends to extensively renovate the building while preserving its character and historical significance. He said he plans to add extra handicap parking spaces, build a fence around the building as well as an exterior elevator, and consider installing energy-efficient insulation and lighting.

After gaining approval for design work from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, Meshako said the bank intends to hire local contractors to complete the renovations to keep the project a “Greenfield project.”

“We’re going to put it back on the tax roll for the town of Greenfield. We are also going to bring additional people to downtown Greenfield to work as we currently have people that are not able to be here because of space requirements. We are bulging at the seams,” Meshako said. “I want people to be proud of this section of Greenfield. This building and the new library, which is amazing, just helps make this whole section something that the whole town can be proud of.”

Mayor Ginny Desorgher signed the finalized sale agreement on Monday and Greenfield Savings Bank signed on Wednesday.

City Communications Director Matthew Conway said the sale marked an “exciting” milestone both for the city as well as the bank.

“Greenfield Savings Bank is a fantastic steward of the community. They’re actively involved in the community, they have a lot of philanthropic endeavors,” Conway said. “The mayor has been delighted to work with [Meshako] and we look forward to seeing how Greenfield Savings Bank transforms the property, but also preserves its historical integrity.”

Although the renovations greatly rely on the Historical Commission’s approval, Meshako said the bank plans to open its Leavitt-Hovey House location in the fall.

Anthony Cammalleri
can be reached at
acammalleri@recorder.com or 413-930-4429.