Town seeking location, plan for new DPW

Date: 4/23/2012

April 23, 2012

By Chris Maza

chrism@thereminder.com

LONGMEADOW — The town of Longmeadow is seeking a new site on which it would build a new Department of Public Works (DPW) facility.

The Select Board recently released a legal notice stating that the town is looking for proposals for a real estate transaction involving plots of land within town limits that measure six acres or more of contiguous land.

Select Board Chair Mark Gold explained that the request for proposals is in response to the DPW's increasingly urgent need for an updated facility.

"This is something that is desperately needed and quite frankly long overdue," he said, further explaining that the cost of building a new facility would be less than attempting to renovate the existing location and that restoring the building while a working DPW is present could lessen the department's ability to do its work effectively and efficiently.

Gold indicated that there is no specific budget yet for the land acquisition or the building of a new facility, but added that based on a recent study performed by Tighe & Bond, he foresees a goal of approximately $12 million.

While the town is accepting all proposals that fit the criteria, Gold said officials have some ideas as to where they would like the new facility to be built and hope that the owners of that land would consider selling.

"We do have some sites in mind that and we expect to elicit some favorable offers," he said. "We will evaluate all of the proposals not only for cost but based on what is best for the town."

Gold also stressed that it is not the intention of the DPW or the Select Board to build a new facility in a residential zone.

"Our preference is not to put this in a residential neighborhoods," he said. "We want to dispel any concerns people might have in that regard."

Those interested in submitting a proposal should contact Procurement Manager Chad Thompson. Bids should be sent to Thompson's office at 735 Longmeadow St., Suite 101, Longmeadow, MA 01106 and will be accepted until May 22 at 11 a.m. Thompson can be reached by phone at 565-4136.