HUDSON – Since taking ownership of the Hudson Armory building in February, the Hudson Cultural Alliance has been busy, as the president of the Hudson Cultural Alliance, Tom Desmond, reported at the Dec. 2 Select Board Meeting.
He provided an update on the Hudson Armory project, which is now known as the Armory on the Assabet. They have hired Ed Nunes as the project architect, and with $200,000 in matching funds they received two years ago from the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC), they had about $400,000 to hire Stages Incorporated to design the theater part of the project.
“We just recently received their schematic designs that will cover the theater portion, which will be the stage, the seating, lighting, sound (and) some of the acoustic stuff they’re going to have to do,” said Desmond.
With that piece completed, they hired Vector Builders to conduct an exploratory examination. Vector has recently restored the front door of the building, he said. Some areas of brickwork will need repointing, or renewing the outer part of the mortar joints between the bricks, and cleaning.
An engineering design services company has been employed to look at the mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection systems, which are very few at the moment, said Desmond.
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Hancock Associates has been hired to do an initial site plan. They have met with Desmond, Building Commissioner Robert Berger and Executive Assistant Tom Gregory to discuss the next steps.
“I think we’re all on the same sheet of music. Our architect is working on a checklist of things that need to be done prior to us going to the Planning Board,” said Desmond.
The alliance received a second $200,000 grant in the summer from the MCC, which it will be matching. Within the next couple of weeks, it will launch an online fundraising program.
The hope is to continue work on the schematic designs and begin the design development stage of the project. Also, he said they are going to get the real costs from Vector about what it will cost to bring the armory building up to code.
They have a fundraising manager who has begun to vet funders using criteria they’ve provided. He said there is a strategic business plan, and they are almost finished with a case of support, or core message for donors.
“Senator [Jamie] Eldridge and Representative [Kate] Hogan have been great. They’ve been behind us 100%,” said Desmond.
The alliance has been talking with them about a possible earmark in the 2025 budget, and they have been asked to look at a specific piece of the project for funding.
To the alliance, Select Board Chair Scott Duplisea said, “Thank you for all the work you are doing.”
For more information on the project and how to donate, visit www.hudsonarmoryproject.org.
In Department of Public Works news, the board approved the use of $1.4 million from Eversource to be applied toward the paving of Forest Avenue and Wilkins Street. Department of Public Works Director Eric Ryder said they worked with Eversource to agree to the repaving of the two roads up to the limit of work they have done there.
The town will receive the funds to pave, and Ryder added, “It made much more sense for us to manage it.”
The repaving will be completed next spring, he said, with the project going out to bid this winter.
