§410cc–22 Acquisition of Property

Summary

Lets the Secretary acquire certain Lowell properties by donation, purchase with donated or appropriated money, court-ordered seizure (condemnation), or other means. Properties owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts or its local governments may be taken only by donation. The Secretary must try to buy by negotiation first and must consult the Commission (if it exists) and the Lowell city council before starting court-ordered seizure. The named properties include: Linus Childs House (63 Kirk Street); H and H Paper Company/Boott Mill Boarding House (42 French Street); Old City Hall (226 Merrimack Street); Merrimack Gatehouse (269 Merrimack Street); Wannalancit Textile Company (562 Suffolk Street); the buildings at 210 and 200 Merrimack Street (Jade Pagoda and Solomon’s Yard Goods); and parcels shown on a park map: 91 Pevey Street; part of 607 Middlesex Place; Eagle Court; part of 50 Payne Street; and 726 Broadway. Before the Commission’s first meeting, the Secretary may also acquire other park or preservation-district properties not listed above if they are named in the Lowell Historical Canal District Commission report as needing preservation, are on the National Register of Historic Places, or are found to be nationally significant, and would otherwise face demolition or major change that conflicts with park goals. The Secretary may buy easements in the park the same way. The Secretary may trade park land for land owned by the Commonwealth, the city of Lowell, or the University of Massachusetts Building Authority. Trades follow National Park Service rules, and if federal land being traded has needed facilities and the other land is worth less, cash can be paid to make values equal; no payment is needed if the Federal Government gets land of greater value.