There aren’t too many people looking to purchase a mansion nowadays. And while that’s bad news for the bank that holds the mortgage on the Goodall mansion in Sanford, it could be good news for the city, in the long run.

The mansion, which has great historic significance, was put up for auction earlier this month as part of foreclosure proceedings that have been ongoing since 2009. The only bidder, however, was the bank ”“ leaving the door open for the Goodall Mansion Society to make an offer that may be attractive enough for the bank to turn it over for nonprofit use.

Not many people can afford a 6,000-square-foot, 29-room mansion that sits on 2.5 acres, and needs hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovations and restoration. The Goodall mansion, built in 1871, has been sitting vacant for three winters now and it’s also beholden to preservation easements held by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. All of these factors make it more suited for community center use, as proposed by the Goodall Mansion Society, and less attractive to an individual buyer who might seek to use it as a residence.

The Goodall Mansion Society has plans to develop the property into a cultural center with space for art displays and concerts, rental space for meetings and lectures, and an English garden. They’ve even dreamed up a workshop onsite that would provide instruction on building preservation and be used as a launching point for renovations. All of this will cost $625,000, they estimate, in addition to the purchase price.

We’d like to see their vision for this property become a reality, and see it restored to local prominence. It’s certainly a building worth saving, and one that would be wonderful to have open to the public. The Goodall name is renowned throughout the Sanford area, as Thomas Goodall’s textile mills are largely what built the city into a prosperous economic center.

Goodall came to Sanford in 1867 and is known not only for his successful textile complex, but also for his philanthropic works. The family carried on the good works for the community, as evidenced by the Goodall name on various city landmarks. As well, the mansion is a testament not only to the man and the mills that provided early Sanford with its lifeblood, but also to the architecture of the time. It was originally built in the Second Empire style with Italianate flourishes, and was later remodeled to reflect the Colonial Revival period, according to historian Harland Eastman.

At this point, the Goodall Mansion Society is awaiting a response from the bank about whether its offer will be considered. The amount has not been disclosed, but we hope the bank will consider a reasonable offer for the property, considering that it will be held by a nonprofit, for community use, in the future. Just as the Nasson Community Center was created and is now flourishing despite the closure of Nasson College, we believe the mansion could also be renovated and become a community gem. Yes, it will take a lot of money, but if the society can make this initial hurdle of acquiring the property, we share in their confidence that they will be able to eventually realize their goals for the site through fundraising, and make it once again a point of Sanford community pride.

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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.