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CAPITAL EXPENDITURES COMMITTEE REPORT TO SEPTEMBER 21, 2016, STM 2016 -5 Warrant - Article Explanations and Recommendations Cites of the "Town Warrant" refer to "TOWN WARRANT, Town of Lexington, Special Town Meeting 2016 -5 " for the Meeting on September 21, 2016. Article 2: LAND PURCHASE - 171 -173 BEDFORD STREET Fund Authorization Requested Funding Source Committee Recommends $4,443,000 GF (Debt) Approval (4 -1) ($4,300,000 for acquisition + $143,000 for collateral acquisition and for post- acquisition services as scoped in the Article) (potentially for inclusion in a subsequent Debt - Exclusion Referendum) "To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Selectmen to purchase or otherwise acquire, or take by eminent domain for municipal or school purposes, any fee, easement, or other interest in all or any part of land known as 171 -173 Bedford Street and shown as Lot 76 on Assessors' Property Map 64, owned by the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and to lease a portion of said land to Liberty Mutual Insurance Company or an affiliated entity thereof, subject to terms acceptable to the Selectmen; and for design, engineering and architectural services for plans and specifications and related costs;...." "DESCRIPTION: This article requests funding to purchase the property at 171 -173 Bedford Street for municipal or school purposes and for engineering services related to the potential uses of the property by the Town. The article also provides for Liberty Mutual to lease a portion of the building back from the Town if it needs to do so on a short -term basis while its new space is being completed. " [Town Warrant] ANALYSIS Renovations or replacements of the Towns' public -safety facilities have been two of the Town's top three priorities for many years. STM and Annual Town Meeting (ATM) actions earlier this year have begun to address the third priority: School Buildings needs. The Central Fire Station (LFDHQ —at 11,841 sq. ft. at 45 Bedford Street) and Lexington Police Station (LPDHQ —at 12,500 sq. ft. at 1575 Massachusetts Avenue) were constructed over 60 years ago when the population of Lexington was less than half what it is today. The buildings do not meet current accessibility or sprinkler codes; and in the case of the LPDHQ, seismic - resistance codes; and exhibit several structural and mechanical deficiencies. In addition, the work of today's public safety departments is vastly different from what was contemplated at the time of the current facilities' construction. Donham and Sweeney Architects conducted a "Public Safety Building Feasibility Study ", dated 9 July 2010, and a "Lexington Police Station Schematic Design Study ", dated 15 February 2011. Those space -needs studies found then that each facility was undersized by at least half, for the technology, staffing, and work performed in the public safety fields at that time. The Town has extensively sought and considered appropriate sites for relocation of the public safety facilities as well as examined options for reconstruction of the existing facilities. The Town does not currently possess any site that could be used as a replacement location or as transitional (swing) space for either department during reconstruction. 1