A proposed plan for the renovation of Town Hall would bring most public business to the first level of the 98-year-old building and cost less than the original $6 million plan to build a new town hall.
Town councilors shown the plan at a June 11 workshop were enthusiastic about the increased public access and general improvements to the building, including central air conditioning, as well as the financial savings.
“At the end of the day, I believe the proposed plan offers a better use of space while improving the efficiency, safety, and accessibility for everyone doing business there,” Councilor Jeff Minihan commented after the presentation.
“The plan is a well -balanced combination of renovation and remodel with a significant amount of proposed repurposing,” said Councilor Melissa Costella, also after the workshop. “The design certainly improves the functionality of the building, fixes what is broken, [and] plans for future growth all while preserving the historical integrity of the structure.”
The proposed plan was drafted by a team from Oak Point Associates of Biddeford and Lassel Architects of South Berwick and presented to the council by Peter MacGovern of Oak Point.
According to the proposed plan, the offices of the town clerk, as well as assessing, code enforcement and planning departments would be moved to the first floor into space vacated by the Police Department five years ago, when a new police station opened on Route 236.
The town manager’s office would remain on the second floor, and areas freed up on that level would make room for Town Council chambers, a conference room, and the community development office, which is now the only office on the third floor. The configuration of the top, third level would remain basically the same.
“Everyone I have run this plan by loves it,” said Town Manager Tim Pellerin.
One of the main advantages of this plan is that town hall staff will not have to relocate to rental space during the renovation, which would take an estimated 12 to 18 months, MacGovern noted.
Since the first floor is now unoccupied, work would begin there and staff could move to their new first floor offices when the work is done. Second floor staff whose offices would stay on that level can either remain in the same area while another area is undergoing renovations or, if need be, move to the third floor, he said.
Pellerin, Assistant Town Manager Jennifer Janelle and Council Chair Mallory Cook met with Oak Point and Lassel every two weeks during the process, according to Cook.
Asked about air quality, mold and access issues, MacGovern said that only one ceiling tile on the first floor had mold, and air quality and ADA updates are both part of the plan. The elevator shaft has passed inspections, although electronic controls will need to be rebuilt, he said. A new security feature will allow staff to automatically lock internal doors if necessary.
The plans will be presented again at the Town Council meeting June 25, when the council will vote on whether to proceed with the renovation plans. A cost estimate will be presented later this summer, and if the council agrees on the plan, voters will decide in November whether to fund it.
The design plans are the latest development in a process that began in early 2023, when a study by Port City Architects of Portland commissioned by the town concluded that moving town offices to a new building on the edge of downtown would be cheaper than renovating the nearly 100-year-old building on Main Street.
Citizens showed up in force to criticize the Port City report at public hearings in 2023, questioning whether the firm had accurately compared the costs of the two options and arguing that the report overlooked the value to the community of the existing building’s central location and history. The Town Council subsequently agreed to look into both options. Four councilors attended the workshop last week, with Jessica Cyr absent.
