AN AERIAL VIEW RENDERING of the renovated public safety buildings and Town Hall project. (Tappé Architects/Mitchell Associates Architects, PLLC Photo)
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Moving day is just around the corner.
Town Administrator Rob Dolan said during the Select Board’s Sept. 13 meeting that the Fire Department, Police Department and Town Hall departments will be moving into temporary facilities before the $63.5 million public safety buildings and Town Hall project begins in January.
Voters approved the project 694 votes to 508 votes, representing a 58 percent to 42 percent margin, during a Special Town Election in December 2022. The Special Town Election vote was closer than the 287-33 vote at last November’s Fall Town Meeting.
The project entails constructing a new three-story Fire Headquarters that will have four bays next to the existing South Station, which will be razed once the new Fire Headquarters is built. The Police Station and current Fire Headquarters will also be renovated and expanded.
Additionally, the Town Hall addition will make it compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by constructing an elevator. A new H. Joseph Maney Meeting Room will also be built for municipal boards and community groups to use.
“We have done a lot of work over the last year,” said Dolan. “We have designed the new facilities and have prepared to move the Police Department, Fire Department and all of Town Hall into temporary facilities. The time has come to implement this plan.”
Dolan recalled that PMA Consultants is serving as the owner’s project manager. He said Tappé Architects is serving as the project’s architect in conjunction with Mitchell Associates Architects, PLLC. He also recalled that the Public Safety Building Committee voted to hire Commodore Builders to serve as the $63.5 million project’s construction manager at-risk/general contractor this summer.
“I believe that we have a world class team that will deliver what we promised to the citizens of Lynnfield, which is a project that is on time and on budget,” said Dolan. “It will be a project that everyone will be proud of. It will keep our Police Department and Fire Department not only safe, but will give them the tools they need to do the job.”
Dolan said the Building/Inspectional Services Department, Health Department and Town Engineer Lisa DeMeo have been reviewing the project to make sure it complies with different regulations. He said the reviews will continue.
“By October, Tappé Architects will have designs and specifications ready to go out to bid,” said Dolan. “Commodore will be serving as the project’s general contractor. The procurement and bidding of sub-trades has already started. This is a two-step process, with a pre-qualification of contractors taking place first. That will be followed by the bidding of those selected pre-qualified contractors next month.”
Dolan said the move will consist of a four-phase process. He said the first step in the process involved relocating the Technology Center at Town Hall to a temporary location at the DPW’s Maintenance Garage over the summer.
“One of the challenges we experienced was all of the School Department’s informational technology was also at Town Hall,” said Dolan. “We have moved the schools’ equipment as well. The Lynnfield Police Department, Fire Department and all town departments are currently moving technology into this new room as well. This includes the transfer of fiber connections, radio communication antennas and computer technology.”
Dolan said the Police Department’s temporary facility will be the Pope-Richard Lynnfield Historic Center that abuts the Town Hall parking lot.
“I want to thank the Historical Commission for generously allowing us to use this space,” said Dolan. “The Police Department is in the process of a gradual move into the historic house. If you drive by, there are modular trailers there. The inside of the house has been renovated. A new septic system, air conditioning, an additional bathroom, technology, wiring and building envelope improvements has been completed. This addition was not part of this project, but this will be the creation of a building that will promote history in our community that can be used for a variety of functions.”
Dolan said the Fire Department will be located at South Station and the old South Branch Library building on Salem Street.
“The South Branch Library, which was in poor condition, is an additional add-on for this project,” said Dolan. “It will serve as the headquarters for fire officers, but it will be turned over to the town after the project is completed for more public space.”
Trickett Road resident Wayne Perry said he was under the impression that American Legion Post 131 was using the old South Branch Library to hold its meetings. Fall Town Meeting voted to transfer the building to the American Legion several years ago.
Dolan said American Legion Post 131 decided not to use the building.
“They never took over the building,” said Dolan. “After this project is completed, it will be an open building that will have everything new inside. We don’t want to just use it for storage, which it was before. We want it to be used and active.”
Select Board Chairman Joe Connell said American Legion Post 131 is currently holding meetings at the Meeting House.
“It’s adequate right now,” said Connell.
Dolan said the Fire Department will have an ambulance and an engine stationed in the Town Hall parking lot.
“This will ensure the town is fully covered at all times,” said Dolan. “Their office will temporarily be at the town yard. We created temporary quarters for them.”
Dolan said the Town Administrator’s Office will be relocated to the office space above the old Village Pharmacy at The Centre at Lynnfield shopping plaza on Monday, Nov. 13. He said Town Accountant/Assistant Finance Director Julie McCarthy’s office will be relocated to the Al Merritt Media and Cultural Center at MarketStreet Lynnfield on Nov. 13.
Additionally, Dolan said the DPW’s administrative offices along with the Inspectional Services, Health, Planning and Conservation Departments will be moving into the old Village Pharmacy on Friday, Nov. 17.
“If citizens need any of those services, they will go to The Centre stores,” said Dolan.
Dolan said the second floor of Town Hall will be moving to a designated area at the Senior Center on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
“The Assessing Department, Treasurer/Tax Collector’s Office and the Town Clerk’s Office will be operating in that area,” said Dolan. “Citizens will be able to park in the area between the school administration building and the Senior Center.”
Dolan said the move is going to be “challenging over the next month.”
“We are confident that when we are done, we will be able to serve the public in a different way that will satisfy all,” said Dolan.
After the moves are completed, Dolan said Commodore Builders will take over the current Fire Headquarters, Police Station and Town Hall in December. He said the project will begin in January.
“There will be some early work started at the Post Office next to South Station to prepare for the larger project to move forward,” said Dolan. “We expect that the Post Office will be open for the majority of this project with some exceptions. That work will start between mid-November to early December.”
Dolan also noted that the town has received a $500,000 Complete Streets grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. He said the grant will allow the Summer and Salem Streets intersection to be completely overhauled.
“That will make it much, much safer,” said Dolan.
After Dolan gave an overview of the move, Tappé Architects Principal Charlie Hay showed the Select Board the project’s design renderings that are 90 percent complete. Commodore Builders Public Construction Director Jim DiMarzio also gave an overview of his firm.
“We are really happy to be a part of the team,” said DiMarzio.
Connell said he attends weekly meetings about the public safety buildings and Town Hall project.
“The talent that has been formed for this project is absolutely amazing,” said Connell. “I want to thank Rob, Charlie and Jim, but also Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis and Police Chief Nick Secatore. The level of detail they provide every single week is incredible. I also want to thank DPW Director John Tomasz for working to get all of these buildings prepared so different town departments can move into them. That is going flawlessly.”
Select Board member Dick Dalton thanked Capital Projects Manager/Public Safety Building Committee Chairman John Scenna, who was unable to attend the meeting, for leading the project.
“John was the leader for our school building project that came in on time and under budget,” said Dalton. “John has once again stepped up to take the lead on this project.”