Cannabis testing company to terminate lease for 4 Recovery Road building

Feb 25, 2021

The fate of a town-owned building at 4 Recovery Road is once again unknown after Baystate Labs — a company that planned to conduct cannabis testing at the site — asked to terminate its lease.

The Baystate Labs facility would have been located in the building that used to house the Christopher Donovan Day School, which has since moved to the Hammond School in Onset. The Board of Selectmen approved the negotiation of a host community agreement with Baystate Labs on Feb. 10, but that approval was contingent upon the 4 Recovery Road lease being executed.

During the Wareham Redevelopment Authority’s meeting on Feb. 25, Director of Planning Ken Buckland announced that Baystate Labs had asked to terminate its lease for the 4 Recovery Road building.

“Baystate Labs has asked to terminate the lease. They want to pull out and go to a different facility that’s larger,” Buckland said.

But, all is not lost. Buckland went on to say that another marijuana testing lab has already expressed interest in the property. 

“It just so happens that I got another call from another marijuana lab proponent who is ready to move into the space and apply for licensing [...] within the next six to eight months,” he said.

Cannabis testing is required by the state, and labs are currently in high demand. Each batch of product manufactured in Massachusetts — including flower, edibles, concentrates or vaporizer fluid — must be tested for contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals and bacteria. 

Before a new tenant could be secured for 4 Recovery Road, however, the town must review the details of the Baystate Labs lease termination with counsel. After that, the town will need to put out another request for proposals to seek new tenants, Buckland said.

Despite a few members being absent, the Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously to allow the town to put out a new request for proposals for 4 Recovery Road.