The Washington Street Boys & Girls Club, a fixture in Union Square for 37 years, will no longer offer programming after August. ~Photo by Tom Nash By Tom Nash Children who have grown up with the Washington Street Boys & Girls Club will be spending their last summer there, following a decision by Boys & Girls club directors to sell the building. The club, in operation for 37 years, cited changing needs and low enrollment as the reason for ending its programing in August. But the immediate reason became more clear last Thursday after its tenant, the Somerville Public Schools administration, received approval to move into a new building. "[The club] has been considered a second home for kids," Executive Director Chile Eng said. "We are like one big family, so it's very emotional."

The city has been paying the club $197,000 a year since 1998 to rent the second and third floor of the building, which covered nearly all of the club's operating costs. Superintendent Tony Pierantozzi says moving 21 employees to a city-owned building at 42 Cross St., near the still-vacant East Somerville Community School, will save the city millions of dollars in the long-term despite the $336,000 bond required for renovations.

Mayor Joseph Curtatone and Pierantozzi were forced to explain the move at the June 10 Board of Aldermen meeting after Ward 6 Alderman Rebekah Gewirtz said she wanted more time to consider the proposal since the committee report prepared on the matter was inaccurate.

The report left out much of the information explaining why other locations would not work. It erroneously stated the Powder House School was for sale. The bond was unanimously approved after Pierantozzi gave a rundown of why various other city-owned spaces would be too costly to bring up to code.

Eng said she was unsure of how the situation would play out until last Thursday's vote. The plan to sell the clubhouse, however, had been in consideration since the possibility of losing the school administration as a tenant was raised last summer. Real estate advisers later said it would be unfeasible to try to find a new tenant.

"We weren't able to get a formal confirmation," Eng said of the city's intentions. "That led our organization to have to reevaluate our current situation, and that sort of started the domino effect."

While the Boys & Girls Club run a clubhouse out of the Arthur D. Healey School, Eng said that program is open only to children who attend the school. Parents are being advised of placement options in Cambridge, Everett and Medford.

"Regardless of knowing that this was something that had to be made, the toughest part is it still doesn't change that kids and parents affected by this," Eng said. "Our families certainly expressed their feelings about it. The kids have expressed their sadness. Even our 12-year-olds have said, 'Oh gosh, I've been here all my life.'"

"We've been able to change so many young lives," Eng added. "We realize there's always a point where you have to adapt."

The last day for the Washington Street Club programs will be Aug. 27.