HomeMy WebLinkAboutReport of Committee on Town Office Building, 1966TOWN OF LEXINGTON
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
COMMITTEE
Robert Gataldo, Chairman
Albert Gray, Jr.
John Blaisdell
Mark Moore
John McSweeney
Richard M. Perry
Otis Brown, Jr
ARCHITECTS
Perry, Dean and Stewart
Boston, Massachusetts
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REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
Persuant to Article 36 of the 1966 Annual Town Meeting held
on March 21, 1966, the Selectmen appointed a Committee on Town
Office Building to assist the Board in obtaining preliminary
plans and specifications for alterations and /or additions to the
existing Town Office Buildings. An appropriation of $2,000 was
voted in conjunction with the above article.
The Committee, working with the Boston architectural firm of
Perry, Dean and Stewart, made in-depth studies of Town office
space requirements to serve an ultimate population of 45,000.
Detailed facade and floor plans were developed by the Architects
and a proposed office space development program presented to the
1969 Annual Town Meeting Warrant in Article 37.
The Town Meeting, by a motion amending Article 37, appro-
priated $8,000 for the preparation and presentation to a future
Town Meeting of a definitive proposal for Town Office expansion.
In addition to providing necessary preliminary plans and specifica-
tions, the proposal was required to 1. establish the require-
ments in detail; 2. show how the proposal meets those require-
ments and indicate if there are alternative ways of meeting the
requirements; 3. include cost estimates for the different
aspects of the proposed plan; and 4. show how the office complex
could be expanded if future needs indicate a requirement for ad-
ditional office space
Hopefully, the details provided in this brochure will convince
the Town Meeting of the wisdom of immediately initiating the pro-
posed Town Office Building development program as recommended to
insure adequate space and efficiency of operation for all affected
Town departments.
In 1965 the Committee on the Public Works Garage conducted a
month long pedestrian traffic survey in the two Town Office Build-
ings. Every person entering the buildings was interviewed as to
the departments visited on that particular trip. In addition,
each department was surveyed as to the number of interdepartmental
visits made by employees which could not reasonably have been
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conducted by telephone. The results of these surveys clearly
indicated the need to retain both the Public Works Administration
and the Engineering Section within the Town Office Building
complex. The survey also pointed to the inefficiency and public
general dissatisfaction caused by interdependent departments being
housed in separate buildings.
The findings of the Public Works Garage Study Committee con-
vinced the Board of Selectmen of the need for a complete study of
Town office space. As a direct result of the above, the Select-
men proposed Article 36 to the 1966 Annual Town Meeting In the
fall of 1966, the Town Office Building Committee met with all De-
partments, Boards, Committees, and Commissions to determine their
individual personnel and equipment requirements to serve an ulti-
mate population of 45,000 Once again the interdepartmental ac-
tivity was studied and reviewed with the advice and counsel of the
Architectural Consultants. The need for additional office space
was immediately apparent with the Water Department already occupy-
ing a portion of the corridor in an attempt to satisfy its needs.
In order to properly consider alternate schemes for the de-
velopment of needed office space, the Committee, with the aid of
their Architectural Consultants, prepared the following depart-
mental office space requirements. Two existing functions (Welfare
and Red Cross Garage) are not to be retained within the new com-
plex while new space is considered desirable for the Town Counsel,
data processing equipment, and the Town Manager.
The Committee met with the School Committee regarding the
availability of space, in the near future, in any school building.
The possibility of moving the Police Department to the Munroe
School, when and if it was to be phased out, was investigated.
The possibility of School Administration being included in the
Town Office Building complex was discussed, but it was apparent
that the School Department has future plans of converting Munroe
to Administration purposes. The Committee felt that necessary
space for the School Department could more economically be pro-
vided by the conversion of the Munroe School, rather than providing
new space in the Town Office Building. As a result of the fore-
going deliberations, three alternative schemes were developed for
detailed investigation as to their adequacy to meet the needs of the
the Town for present and future office space to serve an estimated
population of 45,000 people. Plans on the following pages detail
the final interior floor layouts of all office space required to
meet the Design Criteria for the Town Office and Police Buildings.
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FUNCTION
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING COMPLEX
SPACE REQUIREMENTS
Area in Square Feet
PRESENT FUTURE
2 Bldgs. 1 Bldg.
FUNCTION
Area in Square Feet
PRESENT FUTURE
Town Departments Police Department
1. Selectmen and Town Manager 916 2,117
2. Comptroller 479 1,532 Office Space 4,295 7,467
3. Tax Collector 331 632 Common Space 2,163 2,532
4 Town Clerk 490 897 Structure 1,510 2,235
5. Treasurer 284 567
6 Planning Board 492 560 Total Building Area 7,968 12,224
7. Building Department 636 1,096
8. Board of Health 442 351
9. Conference and Committee Rooms - 1,054
10. Veterans Agent 240 143
11 Engineering Department 1,013 1,707
12. Printing - 218
13. General Supplies 351 339
14. Public Works 718 917
15. Town Counsel - 442
16. Assessors Department 774 825
17. Office Machines or Data Processing 222 920
18. Sealer of Weights 144 80
19 Extra Offices 308
* 20 Relocated elsewhere 735 -
Office Space
Common Space (Corridors, Lava-
tories, etc )
Structure (Walls, etc.)
8,267
4,184
14,705
4,488
3,140 3,700
* Transferred to other Agencies
Total BuildingArea 15 591 22 893 Welfare 546 s.f.
Red Cross Garage 189 s.f.
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ALTERNATE PLAN 1
ALTERNATE PLAN 1 Construct a completely new Town Office Building
on land adjacent to the present School Administration Building.
The Departments now on the second floor of the Police Building
would be accommodated in the new building in order that the Police
Department could occupy the entire building. A general renovation
and addition to the Police Building would be required Another
use for the Town Office Building would have to be considered which
would require renovation at Town expense.
Probable construction and remodeling cost - $858,000
(I
NEW TOWN
OEF%CES
Estimated Cost of Alternate Plan 1
New Town Office Building
Renovation and Addition to Police Building
Contingencies - Furnishings and Fees
Estimated Cost of Plan 1
$ 702,000
114,000
42,000
$ 858,000
(1
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ALTERNATE PLAN 2
INEW POLICE STATION
LOCATION B
TOWN
OFFICES
ALTERNATE PLAN 2 Construct a new Police Station thereby pro-
viding necessary total space in both Town Office Buildings Re-
modeling of both existing Town Office Buildings would be required.
Probable construction and remodeling cost - $861,000
NEWPOLICE
STATION
LOCATION A
104
Estimated Cost of Alternate Plan 2
New Police Building $ 351,000
Renovation of Town Office Building and
Police Building
468,000
Contingencies - Furnishings and Fees 42,000
Estimated Cost of Plan 2 $ 861,000
FUTURE __
ADDITIONS
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CARY
MEMORIAL L
BUILDING
ADDITION
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SITE PLAN
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ALTERNATE PLAN 3
ALTERNATE PLAN 3 Construct an addition to the present building
housing the Town Offices, etc., that would be large enough to
provide space for all administrative departments, including those
now in the Police Building. The present Police Building would be
renovated to provide the necessary space and equipment to properly
perform its function, now and in the future Remodeling of both
existing Town Office Buildings would be required
Probable construction and remodeling cost - $750,000
- - -100
Estimated Cost of Alternate Plan 3
Renovations" and Addition to Town
Office Building
Renovation and Addition to Police Building
Contingencies - Furnishings and Fees
Estimated Cost of Plan 3
* This 40 year old Town Office Building contains in-
adequate heating, wiring, and other basic services
which will have to be modernized during renovations
$ 594,000
114,000
42,000
$ 750,000
CONFER.
12'x 13
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HEALT OFF.
LAB. 13'x18'
OFFICE
8'x
1111
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TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
ASSESSORS
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PRINTING
10-6"x20'
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EXPANSION
PLAN FILEI
uRAWINGS
20 PLANNING
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ICLERICAL
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OFFICE
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MEETING R-141.
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FIRST AID
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GEN. SUPPL.
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COMMITTEES PRINTS & BUILDING DER.
OFFICE DRAFTING CLERICAL I OFFICE
14'x20' 10x20' 24'x2]' 11'x14'
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
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EXPANSION
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TOWN CLERK
21'x30'
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
OFFICE Y
10k 12'
OFFICE
1'x12'
1 OFFICE
/ 9x13'
CON
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19`x23' 12'326
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OFFICE --
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VETER.
AGENT
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14'x20'
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DATA PROCESSING
OFFICE MACHINES
a8'x 33'
COMPTROLLER
25x55'
VAULT OFFICE II
10k12'
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
SIM
1
OFFICE
12'x 14'
TOWN OFFICE BUILDING
SELECTMENS
CLERICAL
19'x24'
CONFERENCE
- 12'x 15,
SECTY
t TOWN MGR.
12'x 14'
11
ax12 VAULT
1
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1
SELECTMANS1
RECEPTION f SELECTMENS MEETING
13'x20' 20'x 33'
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WAITING
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• 8'x10'
LEGAL DEPARTMT
12X20'
OFF
MGR.
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PUBLIC WORKS ADM.
CLERICAL
2dx33'
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OFFICE
10'x 12'
VAULT INST.
11'x17' 7x12'
ENGINEER'S ENGINEERING
OFF E DRAFTING
12',2 11 ' 21'x46'
F
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
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POLICE STATION
GARAGE
20x24
2 cars
AUTO SUP
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12'
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TOILETS
EXISTING
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JAN.
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EXIST.
STAIR_
WOMENS G - CEL
MATRON
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.BLOCK
METER
STORAGE
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LOCKER RM. EXISTING EXISTING EXIST.
BOILER RM. STORAGE GENER.
EXIST. STAIR
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
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01 34
POLICE STATION
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MEN
1
[ WOMEN
JUVENILE
ASSEMBLY
1
EXIST.
FOODS
7
VEST
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DARK
RM.
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OF
TRAFFIC
12x16'
EXIST.
STAIR
WAITING
RM.
12'x16'
F. PRINT
PHOTO. J. DESK AREA
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TRAFFIC
12,6k17-6
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
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COMMUNIC.
& ALARMS
12'x13'
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POLICE STATION
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9'x11.6"
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DESKS
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WOMEN
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POLYG. INTER. EVID.
101x116"
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- ''CAPTAIN
DETECTIVE
12'x 133
CON F. &
LOUNGEt LIBRARY
8'x16' 121x15'-6"
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STA 1R
EXIST
VAULT
SUPP.
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CLERICAL
CHIEF
14'x21'
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Dix
SECOND FLOOR PLAN
1
11
As a result of the detailed study and cost estimates devel-
oped by the Architectural Consultants, the Committee arrived at
the following conclusions
PLAN 1 - would provide an ideal answer to the office
space problem; however, it would leave vacant a struc-
turally sound building for which no present use is
visualized. This plan is more costly than Plan 3
PLAN 2 - would be ideal from the point of view of
the Police Department, but would continue the in-
efficiencies now experienced both by the public
and the Town employees in operating in two separ-
ate Town Office Buildings This plan is also more
costly than Plan 3.
PLAN 3 - provides all the efficiency and conven-
ience afforded by an operation conducted entirely
within a single structure It completes the
symmetry of the facade of the present Town Office
Building. Renovation to the Police Buildings
will provide all functions necessary to serve a
population of 45,000. Included are a closed
circuit cell block surveillance system and a two
car garage addition is necessary to provide an
adequate basement floor layout. Plan 3 also
provides for logical future expansion of up to
5,400 square feet (1,800 per floor) on the west-
erly side of the building and /or expansion to
the rear These possibilities are indicated
on the site plan appended as the final page of
this brochure. Assigned parking spaces for em-
ployees will eliminate present parking difficul-
ties in the rear of the complex. This plan is
the least expensive of the three plans receiving
detailed study.
The Committee would also like to point out that as a result
of our study it has become quite apparent that if the Town Office
Building is not renovated, certain things must be done anyway,
and as soon as possible. These items include. complete rewiring
of the building; extensive repairs to the roof; heating system
must be revamped; emergency electrical system provided; replace-
ment of floors and removal of the welfare office in 1970; and
renovations of welfare space to provide for Town Manager.