SHREWSBURY – The effort to renovate the town’s DPW facility has cleared its first significant hurdle.
At Special Town Meeting on Nov. 18, the town’s elected body voted 151-20 to approve Article 6, which appropriated $2 million to fund preliminary design costs for the renovation and expansion of the town’s 205-211 South Street DPW facility.
The article will take roughly $1.64 million from “free cash” and $360,000 in funds left over from the recent Police Station project. Approximately $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds were used to pay for an initial feasibility analysis for the project, which first came into the limelight in March.
In April, the Select Board formed the Municipal Facilities Optimization Committee (MFOC), which was tasked with reviewing the state of the facility and returning with a “preferred design concept and budget.” The committee has regularly met in an effort to determine the best course of action.
Constructed in the 1950s, the Water and Sewer Garage (207 South St.) is an 11,000-square-foot facility that town officials and employees alike have said is “at the end of its useful life.” In a March presentation to the Select Board, the town pointed to the building’s failing masonry and water-damaged insulation.
Staff members share their locker room with shelves of bottled chemicals. Some vehicles must be parked outside either because they are too tall to fit under the building’s roof or because there isn’t enough room.
“When we talk about a building project or the need for a building, we’re always talking about the best value for someone’s tax dollar. [The Water and Sewer] building has surpassed the end of its useful life. The ceiling is literally falling down. It’s time. I’d imagine the employees will tell you the same thing,” said Select Board and MFOC member Beth Casavant at a June taping of “Select Board’s Roundtable.”
The 30,000-square-foot Highway Garage (211 South St.) was constructed in 1976 and houses the Highway Division, Parks and Cemetery Maintenance Division, Fleet Management Division, and Public Buildings Division. The building is still structurally sound but needs major repairs, the town has said.
Helene Karl Architects said the building has a laundry list of deficiencies, including a leaky roof that needs to be replaced, a lack of fire protection measures, no handicap restroom, ventilation issues, and an electrical system that isn’t up to par with modern standards.
Still, the architects said that the building’s bones were strong, and presented plans that kept the structure.
“The reality is, in good faith, that I can’t tell you to rip that building down completely,” architect Gregg Yanchenko said at an Aug. 12 meeting. “I can tell you that the structure is good … and basically, we can get by using that building … It makes sense to reuse that building.”
After several rounds of preliminary design, the MFOC recommended a $26.8 million plan in September. The new proposal calls for a 21,600-square-foot addition to the existing 30,000-square-foot Highway Garage. The Water and Sewer Garage would be demolished, according to the proposal.
The current plan includes 6,400 square feet of on-site offices for DPW personnel; 30 DPW staff members currently work in about 4,000 square feet on the second floor of Town Hall. DPW staff moving to South Street would presumably free up space for other offices at Town Hall.
Town Hall would also get $5.5 million for renovations under the plan. First constructed in 1966 – with a 9,700-square-foot addition in 1997 – Town Hall would receive renovations to the HVAC system, a fire suppression system, and ADA-accessible upgrades to the restrooms.
Town Meeting in November was asked to appropriate money for the design of the project only. The town plans to call a Town Meeting in April 2025 to ask for a borrowing authorization, with a possible townwide vote planned for May 2025. If the borrowing is approved, construction could start in August.
The Community Advocate is providing real-time updates about Shrewsbury’s Special Town Meeting at Oak Middle School. For more information, and to see updates, follow us on Facebook or visit www.communityadvocate.com.
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