GSA officially accepts DiLorenzo's $9 million bid for the McIntyre federal building site

Jeff McMenemy, Portsmouth Herald
·2 min read

PORTSMOUTH — The General Services Administration has officially accepted the $9 million high bid for the 2.1-acre Thomas J. McIntyre federal building property, officials confirmed Friday.

City resident, businessman and developer Anthony DiLorenzo made the high bid on the Daniel Street property in early October, which ended the online auction for the property.

An aerial view of the McIntyre Federal Building property.
An aerial view of the McIntyre Federal Building property.

The 80 Daniel St. site is in the heart of downtown Portsmouth near the city’s popular and restaurant-laden waterfront.

DiLorenzo is the owner and founder of Key Auto Group, and is known for his financial support of University of New Hampshire athletics and the private island he and his family own in the city.

The GSA agreed to sell the property to DiLorenzo for $9 million after first seeking between $20 million to $25 million from the city, officials have said previously.

GSA spokesperson Paul Hughes confirmed Friday that they had accepted the $9 million bid for the property.

Now that the bid for the McIntyre property has been accepted, “the buyer will have 30 days to close on the property,” according to Hughes.

DiLorenzo is a 1987 UNH graduate and a nearly 40-year resident of the state.

DiLorenzo previously said “a significant amount of due diligence is necessary to determine the best uses for the property.”

Anthony DiLorenzo shakes Portsmouth police officer Thompson "T.J." Potter's hand Tuesday, July 17, 2018 after praising first responders who rescued his son in June of 2018.
Anthony DiLorenzo shakes Portsmouth police officer Thompson "T.J." Potter's hand Tuesday, July 17, 2018 after praising first responders who rescued his son in June of 2018.

He added, at the time, that it's “premature” to make any decisions about the site.

DiLorenzo’s high bid ended the online auction, which came after the city had tried for more than two decades to acquire the property.

Most recently, several City Councils tried for the past eight years to secure the McIntyre property through the National Park Service's Historic Monument Program.

GSA dropped Portsmouth from that program earlier this year when the city and its private development partner Redgate/Kane couldn’t agree on a redevelopment plan.

The two sides ending up suing each other.

UNH announced in August that DiLorenzo donated $4 million toward renovations and upgrades at the Whittemore Center as part of what is being billed as the UNH Hockey Renovation Project.

Key Auto Group owner Anthony DiLorenzo recently donated $4 million toward a major renovation and upgrade project at the University of New Hampshire's Whittemore Center hockey arena.
Key Auto Group owner Anthony DiLorenzo recently donated $4 million toward a major renovation and upgrade project at the University of New Hampshire's Whittemore Center hockey arena.

The $16 million project follows a previously completed $14 million arena upgrade.

DiLorenzo has been active with UNH athletics as a corporate partner for years.

His Key Auto Group includes 12 new and used car dealerships and collision centers in New Hampshire and more than 20 other locations around the country, the school stated when announcing his donation.

This story may be updated.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: GSA accepts DiLorenzo's $9M bid for Portsmouth's McIntyre site