MANCHESTER Republican board of director candidates say the town should seize a chance to help attract a medical facility to the former National Guard armory on Main Street.

Citing its proximity to Manchester Memorial Hospital and central location, Republicans said that a medical school or satellite campus "could be a huge economic boon for the town."

The state, which owns the vacant building, is seeking bids, Jeffrey Beckham, spokesman for the state Department of Administrative Services, said Monday. Beckham said he could not offer any more information.

Built in 1949, the building sits on an approximately 1.5-acre lot at 330 Main St. The state had offered to sell the property to the town first, as state law requires, General Manager Scott Shanley said Monday.

Several months ago, town officials went through the 23,316-square-foot building with an engineering consultant, Shanley said. One of the issues that raised concerns was the amount of lead paint and other conditions that may require cleanup, Shanley said.

"At this time, we'll see if the private market bears any fruit and establishes a value," he said.

Eastern Connecticut Health Network, which owns the hospital, has a clinical relationship with the University of New England, and the school could be a potential partner in adding classroom space, Republicans said. The idea is consistent with GOP plans for developing "heath-care industry clusters," board of directors minority leader Cheri Pelletier said.

"Manchester already has a strong health-care sector, so deepening it with a medical school can only make our economy healthier," Pelletier said. "Inaction could be worse than a missed opportunityif the building stayed vacant for years, it could drag that area down."

ECHN had looked at the building for potential use, not necessarily for medical education, organization spokesman Eric Berthel said. But the inquiry showed the building would require significant and costly environmental cleanup and modernization to bring it up to code for any use, Berthel said.

To help develop a plan, Republicans say their first step would be to apply for a $35,000 grant from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing health care education.

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Manchester Republicans Say Vacant Armory Could Be Medical School