Board impressed by proposed Senior Center
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Northborough - An in-depth presentation of the proposed new Senior Center and its features drew rave reviews from the Board of Selectmen at its Jan. 14 meeting.

Architect Joe Rizza of Court Street Architects Inc. of Newton took the board on a virtual tour of the building he designed with the help of the Senior Center Building Committee, committee Chair Jeff Leland and Senior Center Director Kelly Burke.

The building will have 14,000 square feet of space and feature a fitness room, a computer lab, an arts and crafts area, two lounges, and a spacious multipurpose room with an occupancy of 200. In addition, behind the multipurpose room is a kitchen large enough that it could be equipped to serve meals to a gathering of that size.

While the proposed location for the building is the same, 19 Colburn St., the building has been re-situated on the plot. The driveway has also been moved, and cars will enter and exit the property from Bearfoot Road.

Earlier this month, U.S. Rep. James P. McGovern, D, toured the site with Northborough Town Administrator Barry Brenner and some selectmen, and saw plans for the new Senior Center.

"I think it's the perfect spot for the new Senior Center, something that is long overdue for the residents of Northborough," McGovern said. "In addition, it's on a piece of land where there's plenty of room, so if expansion were ever necessary, you wouldn't have to again look elsewhere for a suitable solution."

Brenner also spoke to McGovern about the need to clean up contaminated soil from two parts of the parcel where outdoor gun ranges had been located. The cost of the cleanup will be about $1 million, according to Brenner.

McGovern expressed optimism to Brenner that federal money could be found to help fund the cleanup, through either a grant or the earmarking of some fiscal year 2009 funds.

As for the Senior Center itself, as Rizza took selectmen through the building he explained any and all additions Senior Center

and changes, most notably the relocation of the building on the site.

"We wanted to better utilize the space to enhance the look and feel of the Senior Center," Rizza said. "We moved it to a spot where it will get better sunlight for a longer period of the day and where it will have several very picturesque views of the adjacent pond through floor-to-ceiling windows."

In addition, Rizza has added two terraces where visitors will be able to sit and gather.

Selectman Leslie Rutan was pleased with Rizza's design.

"I can't get over how impressive it is, how much room there is, and how it has been so thoughtfully laid out and designed," Rutan said. "While there has been a considerable amount of interest in the building, I think there will be much more now that folks can get a real sense of what it will look like and how it will be."

Pictures of Rizza's designs of the building can be found on the town website, www.town. northborough.ma.us. Once there, click on Senior Center/ COA.

When he requested the town approve $495,000 for the design of the new Senior Center at Town Meeting last year, Leland estimated the cost to build the new Senior Center at about $6.5 million.

While an updated construction cost was not provided at the Jan. 14 Board of Selectmen meeting, Brenner did say that the plan was to get bids from contractors prior to this year's Town Meeting so the exact cost of the building would be known when the request is made.