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Is Longmeadow falling apart?

One of the many heavily corroded poles holding up a garage. See slideshow below for more exclusive photographs. Reminder Publications photos by Natasha Clark
Facilities study discovers a dire need for repairs



By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



LONGMEADOW Town Manager Robin Crosbie has been pushing Longmeadow to update and repair its systems and facilities since being appointed in March 2005. Deferred maintenance during the past three decades and even longer, in some cases has left the water and sewer systems in dire need of replacements and repairs and a facilities forum hosted April 3 listed 15 public buildings that require a fair amount of work as well.

One has to ask: Is Longmeadow falling apart?

Crosbie said no, but work needs to be done.

"I was pleasantly surprised to find no conditions that required immediate closings," the town manager told Reminder Publications. "This is just the beginning. [The study by JCJ Architecture] serves as a platform to develop future capital improvement projects."

JCJ Architecture was hired in the summer of 2007 to produce a "Town Wide Facilities Study," documenting the existing conditions at 15 municipal and school buildings. The summary report stated these are not all of the buildings the town owns, but represents those buildings for which information or plans of action did not exist.

The study was presented to the town by Crosbie, Greg Smolley of JCJ Architecture, Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Mike Wrabel and School Committee member Bobby Barkett.

"This is a framework," Crosbie stressed during her introduction of the study, "not a to do list. It's a long-term vision."

The goal of the study was to determine deficiencies, provide recommendations and include cost estimates so that the town could develop plans for long-term improvements.

While examining the 15 facilities (Blueberry Hill, Center, Glenbrook, Williams and Wolf Swamp schools, the Community House, the DPW office, the Fire Department, Greenwood Center, Old Town Hall, the Police Station, the pools at Bliss Park and Greenwood, Storrs Library and Town Hall), JCJ Architecture looked at the building envelope and walls (including roofing, windows and doors), building systems like heating, ventilation and air conditioning and electrical and plumbing systems, accessibility and functionality.

Smolley presented four dozen photographs of buildings around town to illustrate the severity of some conditions.

"There are a number of steps to fix these [problems]," Smolley said. "It helps to focus on just a few buildings." He suggested bundling similar improvements like new doors or windows in all the buildings in town to save money when it came to bonding.

Crosbie said the town is currently considering bundling painting projects and the two new roof projects coming up at the Annual Town Meeting.

While a lot of buildings need a lot of things, Crosbie said she thinks the DPW has "the greatest need for many reasons." She added that the School Committee said the high school was its biggest priority.

"We need more than a makeover, we need a new building," Wrabel stated.

During a recent tour of the DPW grounds, Wrabel pointed out myriad issues that called for major repairs or completely new buildings. The salt shed is being held up by telephone poles. The entire facility was built on top of the ash of a burn dump nearly one century old. The main garage, which serves as the vehicle repair area for the entire department, has a very uneven floor and no lift. He described the employee lounge as "decrepit." Two large garages are still sheathed in asbestos tiling.

The department director noted a revamp of the repair garage as the DPW's most pressing need.

Wrabel said the oldest buildings still in use were built in the early 1930s, with additions added on in the 1950s and 1960s.

"The trucks are bigger and heavier than the were in the 1930s," he said. "The town realistically grew out of this facility 30 years ago."

In addition to all the facility issues, the land itself may not be the best place to locate a DPW. Most of the site is located within a 100 year flood plain, is bordered on two sides by wetlands and is in noncompliance when it comes to setbacks. The parking spaces and the office building for the DPW are located almost directly on top of Pondside Road.

"Longmeadow doesn't have a lot of room for growth," Wrabel said. "We've looked at other sites [for the DPW] but nothing has been too promising."

If the department is rebuilt on the same site, fill will need to brought in to raise the land above the flood plain but only 2.8 acres will be usable due to setback regulations.

"It would cost $1.75 million just to ready this site before building could begin," Wrabel noted. "There's a lot to be done here."

He said all the town departments and the schools need to work together to prioritize what the town needs for the future.

"You can't stick your head in the sand and ignore the problem," Wrabel stated.

The JCJ Architecture report, the DPW's report and the information collected by the Massachusetts School Building Authority on Longmeadow High School "confirmed a lot of things," according to Crosbie.

"We're on the right track," she added.

While no facilities are dangerous at the moment, Smolley said some buildings will definitely need work within the next two to five years. Others may be all right for another 10.

"We just assessed the facilities," Smolley explained. "The next thing the town has to do is prioritize. What do you do to get the biggest bang for your buck?"

Comments are being taken from residents now through the end of April to gather information and opinion on what projects need to be focused on. Crosbie said to e-mail comments to Wrabel at mwrabel@longmeadow.org.

To view the full JCJ Architecture report and see the video of the facility forum, visit www.longmeadow.org.

For more photos from the DPW visit, go to www.thereminder.com.

Department of Public Works