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Date: 9/26/2023
BELCHERTOWN — Town Administrator Steve Williams updated the Select Board at its Sept. 18 meeting about recent news with the old Belchertown Family Center, 51 State St.
The Select Board met with members from the Family Center Committee at its July 24 meeting to discuss options after they continue to face problems with the roof.
Town Administrator Steve Williams said that over the last few months there have been multiple attempts to temporarily fix the roof, but nothing seems to work, and it keeps leaking.
Williams recommended that the Family Center building should be shut down until the roof can be fixed and has also been looking for other spaces in town for the activities at the Family Center to take place.
Members from the Family Center were also present at the July 24 meeting and added that they will look to continuing working on a plan to still provide its services and added they are not done and will not leave the community members hanging.
The building has been closed indefinitely since then.
At the Sept. 18 meeting, Williams said that he met with an architect who estimated that renovating 51 State St. would cost approximately $1.4 million.
The town’s initial budget for the renovation project was approximately $485,000 which could fix some of the problems, according to Williams.
It would cost $150,000 for roof but also $50,000 for a boiler, and the rest for floors, bathrooms, kitchen and other needs.
“There is really no good answer either way. We have a very large capital need in that building to renovate it. The other option would be demolition,” Williams said.
The estimated cost of demolition would be approximately $50,000, according to Williams.
After a discussion amongst the board, they agreed that it would be easiest to demolish the building and either construct another building or use the space for something else.
Select Board Chair Ed Boscher added, “This has nothing with the Family Center program or committee. This is about a building that quite frankly is at the gateway to our whole education infrastructure. I really think our board needs to take the long view on this one. I can totally see demolishing it and putting together a plan for the future of putting something that will look and feel a lot better in the middle of the educational structure.”
Select Board member Peg Louraine made a motion to allow Williams to look at demolition options.
She quickly withdrew her motion after Select Board member Jen Turner said that she is looking into grant opportunities to possibly pay for the cost of the renovations.
The Massachusetts Cultural Council has a Cultural Facilities Grant program that funds up to $200,000 as a match grant.
“That would make a dent if we decide to renovate the building. It would have the follow the requirements and there is no guarantee we would get it obviously. It would have to have cultural use and follow the guidelines of the Massachusetts Cultural Council,” Turner added.
Williams said that grant already covers 40% of the renovations.
The Select Board said they agreed that they could see another structure going in the area but added they are not comfortable funding $1.4 million to the current structure for renovations.
“We are past that point and if we are not careful, we are going to be past that point on a lot of other buildings soon enough,” Boscher added.
The Select Board mentioned how important and nice this building is for the town.
Louraine said, “That whole area is beautiful. With the basketball courts, the pickleball courts, the schools, McPherson Garden, Jessica’s Boundless Playground. It has emerged into something that is jewel and the crown. It is a magnet for people inside and outside the community.”
The Select Board did not make a motion on which direction to go with 51 State St. as they agreed they would like to give Turner until their scheduled meeting on Monday, Oct. 2, to investigate grant use options.
Turner said, “That is why I feel so strongly if we knock it down and we wait and take a long-term approach we are going to have an empty field for a very long time. We can make it a visitors’ center; we can make it anything.”