SUNDERLAND — As the South County Senior Center Board of Oversight considers the former Sinauer Associates/Oxford University Press building for a potential new Senior Center, members recently embarked on a tour to get a feel for the space.

Sitting on a nearly 3.5-acre lot, the 12,000-square-foot building at 23 Plumtree Road was last sold for $1 million in 2017 and is now listed for $1.95 million on Colebrook Realty Services’ website. While in the early stages — the Board of Oversight agreed by consensus to look into the site on Nov. 2 — the initial plan is to have Sunderland buy the property, which would also house extra office space for town staff.

Touring the sprawling complex that features numerous office spaces and a central courtyard, Senior Center members were impressed by the space’s “big possibilities.”

“It’s very homey,” said South Deerfield resident Ruth Sadowsky, adding that everything she’s seen has been “all pluses.”

Sharyn Paciorek, president of South County TRIAD, which frequently uses the Senior Center, said the building is “people-friendly” and could serve as a wonderful space for Deerfield, Sunderland and Whately’s seniors.

“This building has a lot of potential,” she said.

As Senior Center Director Jennifer Remillard led the tour, she pointed out which walls could be knocked down, rooms that could serve as offices and a potential exercise room. She also noted that the courtyard is the “perfect place to have lunches.”

“I think the interest is piqued,” Remillard said, adding that this building could be occupied by the Senior Center earlier than other potential locations. “It’s far sooner than if we wait for Deerfield’s campus plan.”

Over the years, Senior Center members have been vocal about the need for a permanent home. The center used to be located in the 1888 Building on North Main Street in South Deerfield, but it closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. In 2021, the discovery of mold and asbestos led to the center leaving the site entirely.

Seniors briefly gathered at a tent outside the 1888 Building in 2021, until late fall when the Senior Center moved into the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church. Then, in 2022, the center began leasing an additional administrative space in Sunderland. The three towns have been examining long-term options for the center — the South Deerfield Congregational Church has been at the top of the list — but progress has been slow.

If purchased by the town of Sunderland, the Senior Center would only occupy a portion of the former Sinauer Associates/Oxford University Press building. Town staff could then occupy some of the office spaces there instead of cramming into the current Town Offices at 12 School St.

The challenge, Sunderland Town Administrator Geoff Kravitz said, is towns can only purchase something at its appraised value, which could potentially contradict Colebrook’s listing price. Additionally, Whately Selectboard member and Board of Oversight Chair Joyce Palmer-Fortune said the town was told another buyer is also interested in the building and could snatch it up before municipal wheels can get moving.

Despite those “pitfalls we haven’t crossed yet,” Palmer-Fortune said the site has great potential to serve the Senior Center’s growing membership. She urged folks to talk to their town officials and fellow residents to build support for funding the project.

“I’m not promising that this is going to happen,” she said, “but we’re all working toward making it happen.”

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.