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Date: 4/16/2015
WILBRAHAM – The Police Station Building Feasibility Subcommittee hosted its first public forum, which allowed residents to provide feedback regarding a proposed $8 million police station.
Police Chief Roger Tucker said the current police station has a myriad of problems, including lack of space for officers and evidence, and deterioration due to the building’s age – it was constructed in 1904.
Repurposed gym lockers are typically used to store evidence, he noted. The building also cannot readily switch between air conditioning and heating; a service technician typically is called for and makes the switch.
Many of the windows are original to the structure as well, Tucker said.
Anna Levine, a resident currently running for Selectman, asked the subcommittee what the plans are for the existing property.
“What you can do with the old property, once it goes through, that probably could be sold, but the law states that any money coming from the sale of a property has to go to another capital project,” Interim Town Administrator Thomas Sullivan said.
The town has not discussed demolishing the existing site if the police station project passes at the May 11 Town Meeting and as a ballot question for a $4.2 million debt exclusion during the May 16 Town Election, he added.
“Then, what would happen is the architect, [Jeff McElravy of Tecton], would start designing plans and detail for the building and there is a purchase in sale [of the site] that we would complete,” Sullivan said. “The owner’s responsibility is to take down the building that currently exists there.”
Currently, the town is negotiations to purchase 2780 Boston Road, which consists of 1.8 acres, including a residential home. The owner of the property is Helen Moore.
Subcommittee member Edward Rigney said the town would hire an owner’s project manager (OPM) because under state law a project that exceeds $5 million must do so.
“Essentially, [the OPM] checks on Jeff’s work and represents the town as the building agent,” Rigney added. “[The OPM] handles the contractor and the architect and all of those pieces from the design. We have a conceptual design, but the actual design, bidding documents, etcetera, would be developed.”
Rigney said the soft cost, which includes wages of the OPM, architect, and the purchase of land “explodes” the project out to $8 million. The cost for construction is approximately $6.3 to $6.4 million.
McElravy said the subcommittee is going to be “aggressive as possible” about getting the project ready for a fall 2016 start.
“The worst case scenario is if getting all the permits and all of that takes us a little longer, then we might want to hold off and do an early spring [2017] start,” he added.
The next subcommittee open forum is scheduled for April 28 at 7 p.m. in the Community Room of the Gardens of Wilbraham at 2301 Boston Rd.