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Community Center proposed on West Side, to be named in honor of Mark
Stebbins

Nonprofit seeks to buy land from the city as part of the privately funded $17
million project.

By Jonathan Phelps
New Hampshire Union Leader

A $17 million community center that would be used by multiple nonprofit groups
has been proposed for the West Side of Manchester.

The center would be named after Mark Stebbins, CEO of the state’s largest
architectural-construction firm, who died last June at 67. He was known for his
support of multiple nonprofits, including the Boys & Girls Club of Manchester.
A group of city, community and nonprofit leaders started meeting on the project
in November 2021. The center’s board of directors includes former Gov. John
Lynch and Stebbins’ brother, Henry.

The Mark Stebbins Community Center is being established as a nonprofit. The
group will present a proposal to buy four acres owned by the city at Parkside
Avenue and Blucher Street to the city’s Committee on Lands and Buildings at 6
p.m. Tuesday night.

The land is near Gossler Park Elementary School and Parkside Middle School,
along a bus route and centrally located for West Side residents, according to a
letter from William Steele Jr., the board’s president.

Once the location is secured and a needs analysis is completed, the nonprofit will
turn to design, infrastructure, finalizing the nonprofit agencies and raise money.

A survey was distributed in 10 different languages to get feedback from residents.
The building is expected to be between 30,000 and 40,000 square feet.
“There is a significant lack of access to resources and services compared to other parts of the city,” said Steele, of the accounting firm Baker Newman Noyes.

“West Side residents’ needs for services include accessible and affordable
childcare, safe places for teenagers, access to healthy foods, access to health care
and mental health services, safe spaces for the community to gather and more.”
The West Side, which is home to 25% of the city’s residents, is a high-density
urban area marked with pockets of extreme poverty, according to the center.

Stebbins was chairman and CEO of Procon, a large construction firm in
Hooksett. He also owned XSS Hotels, Stebbins Commercial Properties, Monarch
Communities and Coolcore.

Stebbins and his wife, Sally, have a long history of supporting local nonprofits,
including Granite United Way, Easterseals, Manchester YMCA, The Mental Health Center
of Greater Manchester and Waypoint.

Jeanine Tousignant, project facilitator, said Stebbins had a vision to help provide
services to as many children and families in the Manchester area as possible.
“He was thinking about this before he passed,” Tousignant said. The group was
formed to honor Stebbins and to carry out his dream. The entire $17 million will
be privately raised.

A number of nonprofits, including the Boys & Girls Club, Granite YMCA and
Catholic Charities, are involved in the planning, but no final uses have been
established. The group is looking at models locally and across the country for its
governance and financial structure for a multi-agency space.
The proposal has received positive feedback.

“We are really looking forward to bringing this vision to reality to help as many
families and children as possible,” Tousignant said. “It is all about gaining access
to services in a very walkable area.”

The purchase price for the 4.15-acre lot is $600,000. A market analysis showed
the land value in today’s market in the range of $600,000 to $750,000, according
to the material submitted.

Parks and Recreation has no immediate plans for the parcel, said Mark Gomez,
chief of parks, recreation and cemetery. The department is “amenable to the sale”
for the center.

“The proposed Mark Stebbins Community Center aligns closely with our
mission,” Gomez wrote in a letter.

“Among other benefits, it will provide recreational opportunities and related
services to an area of the city in need.”

Tousignant said several locations were looked at for the center.
“This was certainly the best spot because it’s in the heart of the community,” she
said.

For more information go to markstebbinscommunitycenter. org.
[email protected]

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