The property that once housed the Linnell Motel at 986 Prospect St. in Rumford may not, at first glance, seem promising.
A fire ravaged the main building in 2015, closing it down. The owner, who lives in California, fell behind on his taxes and the town took over the property in March. In April, the town's Department of Public Works bulldozed what was left of the burned building, leaving two outbuildings in the back on the 4.77 acres.
Despite its recent history, the town sees promise at the site of the former Linnell Motel, and expects developers to, too. Two weeks ago, Rumford issued a request for proposals for the property. It is offered for $109,990, and will be sold to the developer with the proposal the select board likes best.