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| By Danielle Paine Reminder Assistant Editor LONGMEADOW A recent request for proposals is the first major step to revamping some well-worn town structures. The proposal is seeking bids from qualified consultants, one of whom will be hired to assess the condition of municipal and school buildings and create a master plan for repairs based on need and cost. "Basically to do a survey of each building's exterior and interior, fire suppression systems; we're looking to go right through everything," explained Mike Wrabel, director of public works, about the consultant's portion of the project. Fifteen town buildings, divided by priority into three categories, will be assessed during phase one. The seven buildings listed in the project's base report (the category of highest priority) include the Town Hall, Community House, Storrs Library, Greenwood Center, Glenbrook Middle School, Williams Middle School and Center School. On the lower priority lists were the police and fire departments, Blueberry Hill School, Wolf Swamp School, the Department of Public Works Office Building, the former Town Hall, the pool facility at Bliss Park and the pool facility at Greenwood Park. "There are more needs at the base buildings because of public access issues and public usage," explained Chad Thompson of the Longmeadow finance department. "It has been a long time coming," said Adrian Phaneuf, town facilities director, about the project. "We need to do this to know what needs to be done and how to budget in the future to maintain these buildings properly." A site visit at 9 a.m. on Jan. 3 in the Community House auditorium will take potential consultants on a tour of the structures, giving them a chance to ask questions before submitting their request for proposals. "What will be fixed has yet to be determined but we know that we need some extensive work," Phaneuf said. "We will see what we can afford to do and what we can budget for in the future." Many of the repairs will be cosmetic, several town officials explained, although they are bracing for issues with both heating and cooling systems and Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. "Anything safety or health related we would want to take care of right away," Phaneuf said. Phaneuf added that a committee will be formed to make decisions regarding repairs after a thorough review of the consultant's findings. Applicants will have until 10 a.m. on Feb. 12 to submit their proposal packets which are now available at the Community House, 735 Longmeadow St., Suite 1. For more information, contact Chad Thompson at 565-4136. |