TELL US: What to Do About Foxborough’s Town Hall?
Would you rather see Foxborough's Town Hall renovated or torn down and rebuilt? Tell us in the comments section below!
During last Tuesday’s Board of Selectmen meeting, Foxborough Town Manager Kevin Paicos described Town Hall as a “bad building” and said repairs to the current Town Hall – just to make it compliant - would exceed $2 million and does not cover the cost for renovating or expanding the current space following a presentation of repairs needed to the building.
Selectmen agreed that figure was too high for a “band aid” and voted unanimously to support a Town Meeting Warrant article to appropriate funds from the town’s Capital Stabilization account to move forward in the process of constructing a new Town Hall on the same site as the current building.
“It’s not a building you can renovate,” said Board of Selectmen vice chair Mark Sullivan. “I do this for a living. It’s not going to work out.”
The other board members agreed.
“I don’t think anyone is talking about renovating,” said Foxborough Board of Selectmen chair James DeVellis.
On the other side of the argument, Patch blogger Dick Heydecker writes in his latest post, “New Town Hall Again!” writes, “What we heard this week – detail on the necessary repair work and that the negligence on any repair will continue hoping for the new building project. (Please note that the Manager Charter Sec 4 (21) states “manage and be responsible for all the town buildings, ...”) This is a good beginning on the renovation projects. Each item noted in the report must be done for each and every option. Sullivan is quoted as saying, “it’s not a building you can renovate”... Unfortunately we renovated the Igo, the Ahern, High School, Robinson Hill and library units and are programming the Burrell and Taylor schools. Local architects, engineers, contractors, developers, supply house personnel all claim it can be done with no problem - even the Town’s architect indicated renovation could be done, a little more difficult in design and supervision. But they get paid at a higher rate for this difficulty. And when we can demonstrate it is $3 million dollars less, it is the only option.”
So Foxborough, we want to know …
Today’s question: Where do you stand on this issue?
- Would you rather see the current Town Hall be renovated? Why?
- Would you rather it be torn down and a new building be constructed on the same property? Why?
- What about each option would you like to know more about?
Let us know what you think in the comments section below!
Robert W. O'Rourke
8:21 am on Monday, September 24, 2012
I think renting at the old State School or if there is enough space in the old CVS building would be the best solution. The Commonwealth of MA bidding process is the most tainted bidding process leaving the town with issues right from the beginning. There is no upfront cost, all fit up would be part of the negation built into the rent, fixed cost for as long as lease is signed, no maintenance (Town is horrible at maintaining buildings), no need to plow or mow grass, and the rates for a long term leases are in the best interest of the renter in this economy. Why spend millions on architects, removal of the old building (hazardous waste costs alone with the lead in building) and the cost building a new building. Plus most likely the town will rent from one of the above while the building is being built! Then the town could sell that building for revenue like they have been saying about the old Fire Department building.
Cindy Khalifa
5:19 pm on Monday, September 24, 2012
I agree let's put the town hall where the library is renting now. Maybe it could stay there until the post office decides to sell or rent the property on wall st. Then maybe it could move there. We don't want to raise our taxes.