FAQs

*The Town Nurse is being relocated to the Council on Aging

When originally reviewing the needs of the Town’s infrastructure, the CBC analyzed every parcel of land in Swansea with 3 or more buildable acres. The Annex property was ranked as number 2 based upon established criteria concerning availability of utilities, accessibility, site grading requirements, and ownership (public or private).

Using a town-owned parcel keeps cost down due to not having to purchase property or take other properties off of the tax rolls.

The Town has been utilizing this site for Town business for 32 years. Parking and overall accessibility at this site is better than many of the Town’s current facilities.

This facility is a historic structure from the 1890s. Should the addition/renovation project be funded, the Town will pursue grant funding through the Massachusetts Historic Commission for both design and then ultimately construction to restore the building to its original state – a three-room building that can be used to display our Town’s heritage and historical artifacts as well as for functions and gatherings. These gatherings extend beyond town functions to various community uses. Some ideas for use of the building beyond town trainings, functions and events include:

The grant program is carried out over two phases and thus two separate grant rounds – Phase 1 is engineering and design. The second phase is for construction. The Town would seek grant funding through both Phase 1 and Phase 2. Grant matches are required in the amount of 50% of the grant award. Community Preservation Act funds could be used as the Town’s match.

To learn more about the grant program, visit https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/mhc/grants/mppf.htm

No. The Animal Shelter and its fencing are not impacted by the construction of this addition. The Shelter will remain where it is. The new addition will be at least 25’ away from the fenced in area.

Yes, specifically on the second floor. Additionally, the parcel at this location is large and there is land available for future necessary expansion if required.

Should the Town approve this project, the final schematic design and creation of biddable documents will take place over the course of 6 months and construction is anticipated to take 18 months.

Total project cost is conservatively estimated at $15,900,000.

This includes about $13.7 million in construction costs and $2.5 million in oversight costs. The Town is required by state law to pay prevailing wage rates, which are higher wages than typically seen in private construction projects, and enlist the services of a licensed architect and an Owner’s Project Manager for all public construction projects.

The current payment proposal is to utilize a mix of available funds, both in certified free cash and Capital Stabilization funds, and short-term borrowing, which allows the Town flexibility in repayment terms. Borrowing will be eligible to be paid off in full before other infrastructure projects are brought before the Town, such as the potential school project. The proposed borrowing amount is between $3 million and $3.5 million.

No debt exclusion or override will be required.

New construction for municipal offices would still require the Town to do something with the existing building depending upon desired use. To demolish it, the Town would have to spend $166,500 (quoted June 4, 2024) for hazardous materials abatement not including oversight and anywhere from $165,000 - $200,000 for demolition (quoted September 9, 2022).

Estimated new construction costs are $14,525,038 compared to the proposed addition/renovation project at $13,700,000 in estimated construction cost. Neither figure includes the OPM and architectural costs that are required by law.

Yes. To continue to use the current building, the Town still would be required to abate hazardous materials inside the building, repair the stone foundation, waterproof the building, ensure ADA and code compliance, and continue to repair and maintain it. Estimated construction costs for rehabbing the building for just the four rooms is $6,638,373. A project of that size would still require Owner’s Project Manager and designer fees in addition to the construction costs and the Town will have not achieved any real solutions to service delivery, efficiencies, lack of meeting space, and failure to address code compliance, building needs, and necessary equipment at 81 Main Street.

The Town applied for, and received, modest grant funds to be used to convert the secondary kitchen into the Town Nurse’s office and visiting space. Locating the Town Nurse here compliments the various programs already in place with the Council on Aging as well as clinics and health fairs.

The Town also tapped available funds to move ahead with required repairs to the Council on Aging. This includes replacement of the rotted wooden handrails along the deck and updating the HVAC in the Gold Room. The Town is currently installing a new subfloor in the Gold Room. The Gold Room will be updated further with necessary cabinets and storage solutions for senior programming and other necessary equipment for seniors’ use.

Once the Gold Room and Nurse’s area are completed, the Town will move ahead with addressing maintenance concerns regarding the windows and floors throughout the building. The Town has existing funds available to accomplish these tasks.

The Committee explored moving ahead with just the mechanical and wash bay area of the previously designed Highway Garage Facility. The projected cost of moving ahead with only one piece of the need was $7 million. The Committee decided not to move ahead given the limited scope and large price tag. The Committee has discussed keeping the garage at the current location versus seeking other properties on which to locate it. However, conversations at the committee level have been mostly focused on the Town Hall Annex Renovation/Addition project.

Salt shed replacement is currently being explored by Town personnel with the use of Fair Share Amendment funds from the state.

Yes. Committee members toured this facility and discussed using it for a future Town Hall at a variety of meetings. The Committee voted against doing so. The square footage of the building is too large for our needs. It would be very expensive to update the building for code/ADA compliance, which is exacerbated due to the change of use from a school/assembly to town offices. Estimated construction costs to update and renovate this building range from $45 million to $65 million depending upon design.

The building itself belongs to the School Department and is not currently vacant. It remains unclear if it will be vacant in the near or far future. The School Committee can and will decide if this building fits their needs for future use. If the School Committee gave the building to the Town, the earliest the Town would be able to access the building for redesign is 2030, during which construction costs will be far more than what they are today. During the time between now and 2030, the Town will still not have any solutions to current problems, will be spending funds unnecessarily on continuing to rent trailers, provide extensive upgrades to current facilities, possibly require swing space during repairs and maintenance, and continue to conduct services while being spread out all around Town, lacking efficiency.

To compound the financial problem with this approach, the school costs will be so large on the Town’s budget that it would burden the Town’s taxpayers to an extent that additional projects on top of the school cost would not only be financially irresponsible but crippling to our financial systems and taxpayers. Supporting the Town Hall Annex addition renovation before the school debt in the finance plan discussed above allows the town financial flexibility and the ability to pay off the debt before the school project has a financial impact on the Town. Further, the Town’s desire to use mostly available funds for this project decreases the borrowing costs and impact to taxes.

Should the Junior High School become vacant, other uses for the property exist beyond municipal offices. This includes continued school use, for the middle school students or elementary students, and potential housing for seniors, veterans, and the disabled community.

This building could be converted to housing for seniors and/or veterans which is desperately needed in Swansea. It could also be used for a renovated elementary school as the School District reviews its future plans and learns from its Feasibility Study. These conversations must be informed by the School Committee and School District.

The School Feasibility Study is underway. As of September 25, 2024, they have selected an Owners Project Manager and will now move ahead with selecting an architect. A proposed vote on construction of a new or renovated school would not take place until the Fall of 2026 at the earliest.
The Fire Feasibility Study was completed in September of 2023. Plans for the Fire Department hinge upon decisions made in regards to the Highway Garage.

There is no timeline attributed to bringing forward a Highway Garage project at this time. However, this project was ranked as a high priority by the Capital Building Committee in 2022 and again reinforced as such in December 2023.

Public Informational Sessions are scheduled for October 1 and October 10 at the Council on Aging at 6:00 p.m. Residents can attend those meetings as well as meetings of the Capital Building Committee.

Visit our project-dedicated website at https://buildingprojectsswanseama.gov/ or submit questions to [email protected].