This story was originally produced by the Concord Monitor. NHPR is republishing it in partnership with the Granite State News Collaborative.
Another property is officially off the tax rolls in Concord.
The state of New Hampshire bought the remaining half of Granite Place, the former Lincoln Financial complex off the north end of Rumford Street, as the Executive Council approved the $15.2 million purchase on Wednesday. Local developer Steve Duprey sold the first half to the state in 2024.
For Concord, the latest sale represents another $200,000 lost in annual tax revenue. As city and state government continue to acquire more properties in the capital city, making them exempt from taxation, Concord faces a looming question of how to broaden the tax base and reduce the strain on its property taxpayers.
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Duprey, who’s said he wants to soften the blow from the revenue loss, donated the remaining 18 acres of land near Granite Place to the city. Concord City Council will have the opportunity to sell that land to a developer of its choosing, add housing to the area that would eventually augment the tax base.
The state is using Granite Place to house several state agencies and to temporarily headquarter the House of Representatives while the Legislative Office Building downtown gets an upgrade.
Granite Place will host all House hearings and committee meetings throughout the 2026 legislative session, which began on Wednesday.
Lawmakers and advocates say they like the new digs’ ample parking — bill hearings often draw large swaths of people who want to make their voices heard, and some struggle to park downtown. But those involved in the democratic process could also hit scheduling snafus as the Senate continues to hold its meetings at the State House, a few minutes away from Granite Place.
On the first day of the session, lawmakers returned to their chambers to tie up loose ends from 2025 and unveil their priorities for 2026.
Democrats are looking to capitalize on a national message of affordability with an agenda that strives to lower costs across the board. They’ll put forward legislation to give tax credits to small businesses, place caps on utility rates, expand eligibility for the state’s childcare scholarship program and funnel more state money to local education.
Republicans hope to protect the gains they made in 2025, like universal eligibility for Education Freedom Accounts and what they view as public safety issues, with bail reform and a ban on local “sanctuary” policies designed to keep police from aiding federal immigration enforcement.
The GOP is also looking at ways to make New Hampshire more affordable. They’ve proposed expanding in-state energy production, increasing transparency around drug prices and removing red tape that slows housing developments.
Starting this week, the House and Senate convene on Thursdays at the State House. House of Representatives hearings will begin in full force at Granite Place next week.