Obici House closed session
Published 9:46 pm Friday, December 11, 2009
The Suffolk City Council will meet in closed session about the disposition of the Obici House on Wednesday.
The historic home of Suffolk benefactor Amedeo Obici and his wife Louise has been in limbo for about a year. City officials have been reticent about their plans for the house, and abruptly rejected two responses last month to a request for proposals for the renovation and reuse of the house.
“We will continue to evaluate options as it applies to Obici House,” city spokeswoman Debbie George said in an e-mail last month about the house.
Following that e-mail, the Suffolk Professional Firefighters Union submitted an unsolicited proposal to take control of the home, make repairs using volunteer labor and use the home for union events and events for organizations it supports.
The Citizens for the Preservation of Obici House then submitted an unsolicited proposal after learning of the union’s proposal. That group also had submitted one of the original proposals.
George would not explain the process by which the proposals would be evaluated, but said, “there has to be a public hearing” at some point.
According to council’s agenda, however, the group will meet in closed session about the disposal of the Obici House, along with an update on The Fairgrounds redevelopment project. The closed session will follow a 4 p.m. work session on capital projects.
The regular session, to begin at 7 p.m. at 441 Market St., will include public hearings on the amended articles of incorporation for the Southeastern Public Service Authority, as well as on amending the conditions of a previously approved church.