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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-04-03-SBN-rpt.pdf Space/Building Needs Assessment Advisory Committee Report April 3, 2000 r ri I TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Page • SUMMARY 2 • THE PROCESS. 4 • COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP 5 • GENERAL PRINCIPLES & FINDINGS. 7 I3 • SITES EXAMINED FOR POSSIBLE USE. 8 • RECOMMENDATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS BY DEPARTMENT 12 • PROJECT PRIORITIZATION 19 • APPENDICES. Documents Available for the Committee's Review. A Copy of Survey of Departments. B Listing Sheets for Clarke Street Medical Building. C Outline of Procedure for Acquiring Waldorf School. D Map of Sites. E II 1 Li SUMMARY The Board of Selectmen formed the Space/Building Needs Assessment Advisory Committee to take a comprehensive look at municipal building space needs for the present and future, and to make recommendations as to how those needs can be met for the future. It is important to the Committee that The Town Manager, Board of Selectmen, and ultimately the 2000 Town Meeting review this report and then develop a financing strategy to implement the recommendations that they choose to support. It is evident by the documentation referred to in this report that space needs and building conditions have been examined and overlooked for years. It is time for the community to act on a comprehensive plan to address the space needs and corresponding capital requirements Townwide. It is important to understand what this report is and what this report is not. This report is a template for how the space needs can be met. This report is not an attempt to quantify either actual space needed or the cost implications of that space. Where possible,the Committee did make reasonable cost assumptions. The Committee expects that an appropriate cost analysis of the recommendations will be conducted. The Committee also understands that quantitative space requirements will have to be determined before the assumptions the Committee has made can be substantiated. Our efforts to develop recommendations included surveying and interviewing each department, reviewing existing studies and visiting sites. Needs across departments are: training space, conference space,parking, storage, and volunteer workspace. Efficiency in conference room utilization could be gained by a centralized computer based booking system, which the Committee recommends be implemented immediately The Committee also found that many of our Town facilities are not fully ADA accessible. As buildings are upgraded or replaced, this must be corrected. Improving citizen access to buildings and individual offices is something the Committee would encourage. When one enters our Town buildings,there are few signs or personnel to greet them. It is therefore the recommendation of the Committee that a centralized reception person in each building be physically placed so that citizens can immediately receive guidance and service. Many of the spaces and working conditions for the employees are less than ideal. Years of J budget constraints have resulted in the Town spending inadequate resources on facility upgrades. The advent of the computer has not lessened space needs but rather increased space needs. Both work space and storage space needs have increased. Additionally, volunteers have helped fill the demand for services and they need space in which to work. Although we could not identify future uses for all Town buildings and property (some of which we recommend be vacated),the Committee recognizes that land is a valuable asset, and once it is 2 J ri gone, it is lost forever. We urge the Town to think carefully before selling property We further recommend that the Town be prepared to acquire property in a strategic and fiscally responsible manner. There are multiple space needs in the Community Contained in the report are all the recommendations in detail. In summary, it is the recommendation of the Committee that the following should be addressed as soon as practical in this order: I i Build a new DPW facility at 201 Bedford Street to accomodate Engineering, Planning, Community Development, and Recreation, in that order as necessary i• Add wing additions connecting the Town Office Building and the Police Station to Cary Hall to incorporate School Administration and municipal office needs f• Move main Fire Station to 201 Bedford Street Provide a new senior center • Build parking facility i Build athletic fields il 3 THE PROCESS Thoroughly reviewing space needs required the Committee to review reports and studies from the past, survey each department, and interview employees. See Appendix A for a complete list of the documents available for our review See Appendix B for a copy of the survey sent to each department. The information supplied in the surveys was used as a basis for interviewing the departments. We asked that anyone in the department who had knowledge of present and future space needs be available for the interview As a result, we believe we have collected data that reflects the views not only of management,but also of the employees who work in and utilize the space. - Meetings were held in the facility in which the department operates to enable the Committee to get a close look at the layout, how it was used, and whether it might accommodate a different use. After gathering facts,we then turned our attention to assessing the information and making recommendations. Towards that end we started by identifying common threads and guiding principles. (See page 7). We then started reviewing the options, department by department. A draft report was circulated back to the departments, the Town Manager and the Selectmen. They were asked to review our assumptions and identified needs, and to indicate whether 1� anything we concluded was not accurate. Through data review and collective historical knowledge, the Committee came to the conclusions recommended in this report. UJ 4 Il COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP The Board of Selectmen formed the Space/Building Needs Assessment Advisory Committee in October of 1999 The purpose of the Committee was to take a comprehensive look at space needs throughout the town and to make recommendations as to how the identified needs could be met in the future. In order to provide the most credible product, the Board sought members who had studied space issues in the past, who had knowledge of how the town works, who had affiliations with departments and committees, and who would represent different neighborhoods. The charge of the Committee reads as follows: To assess the capital building needs within the Town with the exception of Cary Library and those buildings in use as schools. The Committee will meet with all appropriate personnel so as to determine and assess the functionality of current and future space needs. In addition the Committee shall review all pertinent studies and evaluations of building maintenance, construction, and plans, however preliminary, to make recommendations as to capital building investment priorities. The Committee should assess whether current property inventory held by the Town is sufficient to meet future space and building needs and should identify properties for perspective acquisition to meet future space and building needs. Members of the Committee and their affiliations are: Don Chisholm Don is a representative from the Town Meeting Members Association(TMMA) from Precinct 4 He has been active on the Recreation Committee. Michelle Ciccolo Michelle is a citizen representative and former Town Meeting Member She is currently Assistant Administrator for the Town of Hudson, and lives in Precinct 9 John Davies John is a representative from the Planning Board. He is a Town Meeting Member, an architect, and lives in Precinct 4 Karen Dooks Karen is a citizen representative and Town Meeting Member. She is former chairman of the Capital Expenditures Committee, and lives in Precinct 2. John Frey John is a representative from the East Lexington Civic Association. He is a landscape architect, and lives in Precinct 5 5 J Diana Garcia Diana is a representative from the Precinct 8 Resident Association. She is a Town Meeting Member, and lives in Precinct 8. Peter Kelley Peter is a representative from the Permanent Building Committee of which he is chairman. He was Chairman of the Building Finance Committee, is Chairman of the Friends of the Council on Aging, is a builder, and lives in Precinct 4. Dawn McKenna Dawn is a member of and representative from the Board of Selectmen. She chairs the Space/Building Needs Assessment Advisory Committee and recently moved to Precinct 6 from Precinct 9 Joe Medlin - Joe is a citizens representative and recently retired as Operations Director of DPW He worked for the DPW from 1965 to 1999 He has been involved in or aware of every construction project during that time. He lives in Precinct 7 Fred Rosenberg Fred is a member of and representative from the School Committee. He is a Town Meeting Member and lives in Precinct 9 Sheila Watson Sheila is a representative from the Lexington Center Committee. She is a resident of the Meriam Hill Association in Precinct 6. Liaisons The Committee also has two liaisons who have actively participated in the development of the recommendations contained in this report. They are: George Burnell- Liaison from the Capital Expenditures Committee, Precinct 7 Sheldon Spector- Liaison from the Appropriations Committee, Precinct 6. J 6 I _1 GENERAL PRINCIPLES & FINDINGS The following general principles helped the Committee develop its recommendations. We would: Look for ways to make public buildings more citizen-friendly + Understand how Town departments work together. Balance fiscal prudence with physical needs. ❖ Discourage the selling of Town property We recognize that land is valuable to Town interests. Its commercial value cannot compensate for that fact. Consider present and future use and needs in making our recommendations. Strive for consensus on our recommendations. Findings of the Committee were: I There is a lack of long-term and short-term records storage in all departments. Some records can be kept on computers but many still require hard copies by law and in practice. Storage should be addressed both within individual departments and centrally Some off-site storage may be possible. ❖ There is insufficient workspace for the employees we have and for the many volunteers who support Town operations. Overcrowding has led to substandard spaces becoming work areas. At least one large training room (50 people) appropriately equipped somewhere in Town should be provided. Lack of conference rooms to accommodate 10-12 people is evident in most departments for internal meetings, volunteer committee meetings, and to service citizens. Computers have not lessened the need for space. More area per workstation is required to accommodate technology • Conference room scheduling should be centralized to maximize awareness of options and use of existing space. ¢• Parking is inadequate for citizens,visitors and employees at many Town buildings and in the Center shopping district. I + Each building has a need for a meeting room that can accommodate a minimum of 50 people which can be shared by departments within that building. + Departments which functionally support each other need to be brought together. 7 r1 SITES EXAMINED FOR POSSIBLE USE The Committee evaluated the usability of many Town buildings and properties, as well as some privately owned sites that might be advisable for the Town to purchase. A map in Appendix E is provided for your reference. In alphabetical order, below is the list of the sites we examined: l Christian Science Church on corner of Forest Street and Muzzey Street This building was brought to our attention as a building to consider event though it is not currently available. The Town should continue to watch for an opportunity to consider its acquisition if it becomes available. Clarke Street Medical Building _ _ Given the proximity to the center and the library,the growing needs of the Town for parking and office space, and the possibility of acquiring this property over time at a reduced price,the Committee recommends that the Town explore ways of purchasing this property The total site covers approximately 40,000 square feet of land. Currently there are two units available. One is on the market for$93,600 and the other for$60,000. (Appendix C). This property would be a good location for a youth drop-in center Since the current use requires medical related uses only, it is our suggestion that until it acquires ownership of the entire building, that the Town consider moving the youth medical services currently provided under Town contract to this site as it purchases individual units. Acquisition of this site might also provide a means of enhancing parking for the library 1 DPW Barn at 201 Bedford Street Many uses for this 9.6 acre site have been discussed over the years, including the possibility of selling it for commercial value. The parcel's location, size, and site conditions all lead towards the Committee's recommendation that it is important to preserve this site under Town ownership. See page 16 for further discussion. Fire Station at Bedford Street Given our recommendation to relocate the main Fire Station to 201 Bedford Street, this 1.5 acre site is uniquely suitable for a commercial location. While the Committee feels the property should be retained by the Town, the commercialization of this site can help offset some of the costs associated with the recommendations in this report. As a means of raising revenues outside I the tax levy, the Committee urges that the possibilities for commercialization be examined Li further Hartwell Avenue Landfill This site is over 65 acres. It is a good resource for a low impact traffic use. However, given its present and past function as a landfill the possibilities for reuse may be limited. The Committee L J concluded it would be too costly from an operational standpoint as a location for the DPW and it 8 would decrease efficiency in service delivery Once the Committee made that decision, we then looked at other possible uses for the site. r The Committee concluded that its present uses by DPW, Fire and Police are appropriate for the site. One use that could co-exist with the current use is recreation fields. Recreation programs are growing tremendously The Town cannot currently accommodate all the requests for youth programs requiring fields. The recent School Committee decision to build new schools at Fiske and Harrington may further affect the number of new fields required. This site was thought to be a place where multiple fields with plenty of parking could be developed and where the hours of use would not compete with the traffic generated by the adjacent business community (See page 17). Laconia Street School Site This is the only site under the control of the School Committee that is not contiguous to an existing school. This site should be preserved in case the School Committee ever recommends the need for a new school. This site currently has inadequate access through a residential neighborhood. The potential to provide improved access to the site now exists in the form of a subdivision currently before the Planning Board, in which an easement through the proposed development is reserved for this purpose. It is a 12 acre parcel of open space that is currently wooded. Balancing all of the issues,the Committee does not recommend using this site at this time. The COA believes this site may be an appropriate and viable alternative for the Senior Center. Lowell Street This site is a three acre parcel at the corner of North Street adjacent to the McCabe's Home Specialty store. It is open space on a busy road. There may be wetland issues associated with this property The Committee could not anticipate a use for this property Marrett Road Lot Next to Old Res The Committee felt this site was too small to seriously consider for any use other than parking contiguous to the Old Res. Met State Property Currently there is a task force examining the potential uses for this property Several towns must agree on the uses because the State owns the property It is likely that the Lexington piece will be available for affordable housing. The topography of the land is hilly and there is ledge. The Committee did not consider other uses at this time because of the task force activities and the land conditions. Middlesex County hospital As with the Met State property, the Committee did not feel it could consider this property for use because the State owns the property The portion of the land in Lexington is wooded,hilly and has limited development potential. Resolution of its use will likely be determined through a future task force approach. 9 1 Munroe Center for the Arts This 1.5 acre site, located on Massachusetts Avenue, currently houses an arts center. The Committee supports the concept of providing low cost space to artists for their craft. The building has no cafeteria and no gymnasium. It is not handicapped accessible. The lot is substantially undersized for a school under current state requirements. Current parking is minimal and the ability to provide additional parking at this site is limited due to its small lot size. 1 Parking Sites We reviewed the following Center parking options: build a multi-layered garage in the parking lot between Waltham and Muzzey Streets; take the land rights underneath all the land between Muzzey Street, Clarke Street and Raymond Street and create an underground"superblock"; and decking the Meriam Street lot. Because the Meriam Street lot is a substantial area, already paved, decking that area appears to be the most economical way to get significant additional _ parking. Pelham Road This 14 acre site is located at the east end of Highland Avenue off Massachusetts Avenue up a steep hill. It is near the Armenian Sisters School and the Museum of Our National Heritage. The only accesses are through residential neighborhoods. The frontage is insufficient for development. The Pelham Road intersection at Mass. Ave. has a poor site line. The increased traffic through the neighborhood by using Highland Ave. and other streets to access the site was a concern to the Committee. The COA believes this site may be an appropriate and viable alternative for the Senior Center. Raytheon Property at Spring Street 1 The Committee felt it was unrealistic to consider any use of this property in that Raytheon has made no offers to the Town for the property The property has been withdrawn from the market. School Administration Building and Town Office Complex The Committee believes that the School Administration building is inappropriate for use as Town or School offices. Whether or not it could be demolished,moved, or commercialized should be examined further. The Committee considered building a joint Police/Fire Station at this location. Since the Fire Department felt that response time to areas west of the Center woulc be unacceptable if the Fire Station was moved to Town Office Complex, This Committee does not recommend this option. Expansion of the Town Office Complex to accomodate municipal and school administrative offices by building wing additions to both the Town Office Building and the Police Station with connectors through Cary Hall is recommended by the Committee. Senior Center at Muzzey The Senior Center has outgrown its current facility which is approximately 8,000 square feet of space (not all useable). Given the difficulties the Town has experienced with the Trustees of the Muzzey Condominium Trust, it is the Committee's recommendation that the Town explore the possibility of selling this facility back to the Trustees once the Senior Center has been moved to a 10 new location. If appropriate compensation cannot be achieved, then other uses should be explored if legally possible under the existing agreements and deed. The Committee could not I recommend an alternative use for this facility However, all rights to the soccer field should be retained. Waldorf School Under the terms of the sale of the old Adams School building to Waldorf, the Town retained ownership of the land and leased the building. The lease provides that every 20 years the town may repurchase the building by giving notice no later than 3 years prior to the expiration of the renewal. That means that the Town has the opportunity to repurchase the building by notifying the Waldorf School of its intention to do so no later than August 31, 2000. Given that, the Committee visited this site. The Committee recommends that the Town further examine the cost implications of repurchasing this building for Town use. The Library would welcome the opportunity for the Town to control this property and explore the use of a complex that better utilizes the East Lexington branch. The Committee recommends that the this financial implications of the Waldorf School building as a possible location for the Senior Center be explored immediately Note, the COA does not support using this site for the Senior Center. Attached as Appendix D is a memo from Town Counsel outlining the steps and timetable involved should the Town consider repurchasing the Waldorf School building. Worthen Road Lot This is a three acre parcel along Worthen Road between Hayden Recreation Center land and behind residential properties on Baskin Road. The terrain is hilly and the fitness path abuts the land. The Committee did not find any present or future use that we could identify at this time. 11 r RECOMMENDATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS BY DEPARTMENT The Committee believes that meeting the needs of many departments could be well served by enlarging the Town Office Complex. Adding wings to both the Town Office Building and the Police Station connecting through Cary Hall would allow better utilization of meeting space, improve and expand handicap accessibility and meet space requirements of the departments. If upon further detailed analysis, the space needs of all existing departments could be met by adding to the Town Hall complex, including the critical piece of bringing in the School Administration function,the Committee could support that approach. Our recommendations below reflect an alternate plan which in the Committee's opinion is a good way to address space needs. Animal Rescue Identified needs- Modernization Recommendation & Discussion-The Animal Rescue building on Westview Street is in an appropriate location. The size of the building appears to serve the needs of the department. The facility has not had a major upgrade. It should be looked at in the ordinary course of capital repairs. Cemetery Building 1 Identified needs-Modernization; additional work and storage area; additional garage space Recommendation & Discussion -The location of this building is appropriate. However, it is undersized for its needs and in need of a cosmetic upgrade. This building and garage should be refurbished and enlarged in the ordinary course of capital repairs. Community Development (The Community Development Office includes Inspectional Services, Conservation and Health.) Identified needs-meeting room for 15+; small meeting rooms for 5-6 with space to layout plans; plan file and storage areas; office space; employee work space; shelf space; bookcases; file drawer cabinets and store room; nurse's office; better space to service citizens. Recommendation & Discussion -These departments frequently need access to various public works services. The Community Development space should be increased to accommodate their need for storage and work space. Since the Committee is recommending a new DPW facility be built, it is economically feasible to include space for these departments to be co-located. In addition, that would enable the Town to build a training facility and conference rooms that could be shared, and would provide Community Development with adequate storag, work space and office space. 12 J Council On Aging Identified needs-Night and weekend accessibility; parking for 100-200 cars; program space; ADA accessibility; customer friendly reception area; drop-off location; room to provide program for up to 250; music room; small meeting space; exercise room; expanded library; computer training room; office space; and return of adult day care to the Senior Center. Recommendation & Discussion -The Committee recommends that the Senior Center be moved to a larger space. The Senior Center space needs far exceed the space available at the current facility Already the Senior Day Care has been moved to a satellite facility because it could no longer be accommodated at the Senior Center. In addition, accommodations to the Muzzey Trustees over the years have severely restricted the hours the facility can be used. A 1982 report projecting that space needs of the Senior Center would outgrow the Muzzey site by 1990 has long since been realized. The Committee recommends that the Senior Center be a single purpose facility Recreation and other departments should have the opportunity to use the facility for classes and meetings on a reasonable basis with advance notice and coordination with the director of the facility The Committee recommends that the alternative of renovating an existing building versus building new should be explored and a comparative cost analysis be completed. At this point, site selection and building envelope size has not been adquately defined. Therefore, it would be difficult for the Committee to support a specific recommendation. The Waldorf School building has been identified by the Committee as a possible renovation option. Under the terms of the existing lease/purchase with Waldorf,there is an August 30, 2000 deadline for taking action in this direction. In the interest of making that decision in a timely manner, and in order to resolve the issue one way or another to give the Waldorf Community the closure they deserve as quickly as possible,the Committee recommends expedited preliminary appraisal and cost anaylsis of that site. In making this recommendation the Committee recognizes that the COA does not support this alternative,preferring new construction on a vacant site. However, the Town has not undertaken building on open space since the Clarke Middle School was built in 1972 and has since identified open space as a Town-wide core value. Therefore, it is desirable to have the data to determine whether the cost of renovating the Waldorf School building would be so prohibitive as to make building on open space a more acceptable approach. East Lexington Library Identified needs(assuming its present use). -ADA accessibility; more space for computers and materials Recommendation & Discussions-The Board of Trustees plans to have conversations with the Community as to whether in fact a branch library for a Community of this size is appropriate. We urge that those conversations take place soon. Because of that discussion, we are not at this time, making recommendations for this building. If it is going to continue to be used as a branch library, it must be upgraded to include handicap accessibility and more work space. Upgrades should reflect the historic architecture of the building. Parking is an issue. Library patrons continually compete with the Waldorf School and the Follen Church for parking. The Library staff has also suggested making the branch a storage location for archive documents. It is important to note that the possible uses of the building are controlled by the Trust under which the Cary family gave the building to the Town. 13 J 1 Economic Development Identified needs-Meeting room, parking for visitors, workstation with computer for volunteers Recommendation & Discussion -The Economic Development office currently has adequate --' space. It needs to be located in close proximity to the Center. This office can be located anywhere within the Town office complex once the redesign for other departments is accomplished. Finance Identified needs-Training room with computer work stations for 20-30 people; storage; J combining assessor and tax collector areas; copy machine area Recommendation & Discussion -It is the Committee's recommendation that the Comptroller and the finance functions be co-located in the Town Office Building. With various other functions moved to 201 Bedford Street, space becomes available for use. At their request,the Tax Collector and Assessors should be moved together for efficiency Fire Department Identified needs-Improved air quality; outdoor training space; classroom space for 30+; meeting room to lay out plans and meet with up to 10 people; working space that can be secured during non-business hours; appropriate female living space; exercise/workout area; storage for equipment and medical supplies; records storage; adequate parking for town vehicles, employees, and visitors; ADA accessibility; wash rack on apparatus floor Recommendation & Discussion -It is the recommendation of the Committee that the Fire Station be replaced and that the most logical location for that is at 201 Bedford Street. Combining the Fire Department with the DPW makes fiscal and physical sense. The site allows for drive through bays and the economies of sharing of space such as conference rooms, training facilities, etc. The current Fire Station is undersized, drab and has been plagued with air quality problems. A majority of the calls to the Fire Station are from incidents in locations west of the current Bedford Street Station. Additionally, technology in fire safety has improved dramatically since the Fire Station was built. The current location causes traffic delays, especially when vehicles are returning to the station. These deficiencies could be corrected in a new facility A critical piece of our recommendation (echoed by the Fire Department) is that the move to 201 Bedford Street is contingent on preservation of the East Lexington Fire Station. Were Town Meeting or the Board of Selectmen to disagree with this premise,the Committee would not feel comfortable with recommending the move to 201 Bedford Street. In this case, an expansion and substantial upgrade to the current facility would be recommended. Parking Identified needs-Employee; Center business; visitor to Town Office Complex Recommendation & Discussion -Parking is a serious problem for town employees, the Center business district and visitors to the Town Office Building. We began by addressing a question which is often raised that"if we build more parking we will invite more traffic." The Committee felt that simply to satisfy the needs of its citizens and the needs of the employees we must create more parking in the Center. The most logical way to maximize parking is to deck the Meriam Street lot. The Committee understands that this may generate some concern amongst the Meriam Hill neighborhood. 14 J rl However,most of the lot abuts the commercial building of Lexington Press on Oakland Street. Providing additional parking may serve to take some of the cars off the neighborhood streets. A half-level underground and a level above ground can increase the parking without raising the level too high. Additional parking behind the Town Office Building and the Police Station can also be created when the new wings are built. Planning Identified needs- Conference area with room to spread out plans and meet with 3-4 people, map storage, central storage, increased space for personnel, better layout for serving citizens Recommendation & Discussion-Planning interacts with Engineering and Zoning extensively There is also a strong interaction with the Assessor's office database,but electronic access rather than face-to-face contact could be developed with the necessary software and network configuration. Planning is short on space for meetings, employees, and storage. This is a department that frequently interacts with the public and customer friendly access could be improved. For all these reasons the Committee recommends that the Planning Department be moved to the new DPW facility with Community Development and Engineering. Police Department Identified needs-Training room for 20-25 people; conference rooms for 10-12 people; storage; improved facilities for female officers; evidence processing and storage room; expanded locker I area; computer workstations; equipment storage area; record storage area; file cabinets and area; parking for fleet of cars and employees; ADA accessibility in upper floors and basement area; and an additional garage bay Recommendation & Discussion -The current facility basically meets the needs of the police station. A small wing addition with under building parking to provide symmetry with a new Town hall wing would accommodate their needs. A second garage bay can be added to the current garage. It does not seem fiscally prudent to replace this facility In addition, the location of the police station in the Center provides high visibility and makes it easy for residents and visitors to seek help. One of the suggestions that had been made was to combine Police and Fire and the DPW at 201 Bedford Street. We examined this possibility While some economies of a joint facility makes sense, we ruled out this idea for several reasons. Over recent years, many improvements have been made to the Police Station. The specialty equipment such as bullet-proof glass, firing range, and the joint dispatch center would be costly to replace. Print Shop Identified needs-Location that allows for easy delivery of flats of papers and loading and unloading of print jobs. Recommendation & Discussion -Approximately 2,000 square feet of space is needed to accommodate both the print shop and storage for paper. The print shop was scheduled to be rebuilt at Lexington High School. However, complications make it desirable to consider a different location. The Committee could not reach consensus on whether it was more appropriate to locate this shop at the DPW or the Town Office Complex. Physical location of this function is not critical. Space should be allotted at whichever facility will use the Print Shop on a regular basis and at the location that makes the most economical sense. 15 I J ,- Public Public Works Identified needs-training space; large meeting room for 50-60 people; staff meeting rooms for 15-18 people; small conference rooms to roll out maps, charts, and work plans; equipment storage space; storage stock room for Town paper and supplies; file storage; office space; room for volunteers to work; more up-to-date mechanics shop with parts storage area; citizen friendly entrance and reception area; ADA accessibility; and better ventilation Recommendation & Discussion -This facility is in desperate need of replacement. The current building dates back to the 1800s. Even the newer building was built under the original roof line. The community began developing plans to replace this facility in the 1960s. Asking our _1 employees to work in a facility that has leaking roofs, dated utilities, and has not had a cosmetic uplift in years is not appropriate. After examining the options,the Committee agreed that rebuilding the DPW(which includes Engineering and Lexpress) at the existing site is overdue. We recommend that it be a new building(s) large enough to accommodate the Fire Department, Planning, and the Community Development functions (and Recreation if necessary). One reason for recommending a new building is that the old building could provide swing space. In other words, the new DPW building(s) could be built without displacing operations during construction. At this facility, a Lexpress bus stop should be available. A reception area should be designed that can be physically separated from the rest of the building and used during off hours. Visitor parking should be added. A training room appropriately equipped for 50 people should be included and designed so it can be accessed from the exterior and interior. In addition, small conference rooms for 10 - 12 people should also be designed with exterior office that can double as meeting space for DPW and Fire operations as well as be available for committee and other Town meetings. Reception Area Identified needs- Greeting place for citizens entering the Town Office Building. Recommendation & Discussion -One thing that is clear to the Committee is that the Town Office Building is not inviting to citizens. Citizens enter one of three doorways, with little signage directing them where to go for service or information. The Committee recommends that a reception area be developed to welcome citizens into the building, and that the area be physically separated for off hour use without opening the entire building. In addition to a reception area at the Town Office Building, the Committee recommends that a reception area be developed that is welcoming to citizens at each building. Recreation Identified needs-Training space; program space; lockers; equipment storage; file storage; employee and visitor parking; ADA accessibility; a greeting area for citizens with a place for adults to sit and fill out forms and an area for their children to wait; and full-sized fields. Recommendation & Discussion -The current space for recreation is neither user friendly nor adequately sized. In addition, handicapped visitors cannot navigate all areas of the office. There is merit to maintaining this function at the Town Office Complex. However, if upon designing the space at the Town Office Building there remains a space crunch,the Committee felt that this department could be moved to 201 Bedford Street where short-term parking might be more convenient. A citizen friendly area should be created to sell swim tags and to allow sign-up for 16 J classes. If Recreation is moved to Bedford Street, a Lexpress bus stop at this facility would enhance its accessibility Recreation Ball Fields Identified needs-Full-sized fields Recommendation & Discussion-Recreation has a demonstrated need for more fields. With the building of two new elementary schools and possible reuse of the Waldorf School building, existing field might also be displaced requiring even more new fields. In reviewing all the open space that was available for this purpose, we concluded that the best place to develop new fields would be at the Hartwell Avenue site. This site contains plenty of acreage to provide a number of full sized fields and parking without interfering with current operations. Recreation Facility Identifted needs-Program space Recommendation & Discussion -There has been much discussion about whether recreation should have a separate facility The Committee debated this issue. The need for a facility has not been demonstrated. What is clear is that they need more and continued access to Town owned rooms in which to provide their programs. Continuing cooperation with the School Department will help. Some use of a new Senior Center for recreation should be discussed. School Administration Identified needs-Office space to bring all central administration, including SPED services, together; large conference room for 50 people; room with access for 20-25 people to use for computer training; small conference room for 12-15 people; workroom with table space to spread out projects; areas for volunteers to work; ADA accessibility; appropriate reception area for citizen interaction; storage; office supply storage; loading/unloading area; and parking for visitors and staff. Recommendation & Discussion - The School Administration needs a new space where all central office personnel can be consolidated. The facility needs to be befitting of the value that the community places on education. With the importance of education in the community and the continuing desire to see the municipal and school administrations share functions wherever practicable, it is the Committee's recommendation that the School Administration be given a wing of Town Office Building. In order to accomodate the School Administration and municipal regular space requirements, wings should be added to Town Office Complex. The wings could be built to complement the existing buildings with parking underneath. Additional shared conference space and better utilization of existing space at Cary Hall could be provided. 1 Symmetry at the Town complex is important and should be included in the design. Selectmen's Office Identified needs-Better configuration of existing space, copier/fax area, larger meeting room, smaller conference space, better waiting area for citizens and work area for them to fill out forms. Recommendation & Discussion -The space is very inefficient and gives the appearance of a private office. The space can be reconfigured to capture more efficiency, increased size and provide a more inviting atmosphere for the people it serves. The Selectmen's meeting room is not adequate for all of the meetings they have. It is recommended that one level of the Town 17 l Office Building wing include a Selectmen's meeting room large enough to accommodate 100 people for a meeting. The current meeting room could then be used to expand the Town Manager's office to accommodate their space needs. Social Services Identified needs-Parking; small conference room; more office space; customer friendly reception area; storage; ADA accessibility; volunteer workspace; confidential counseling space Recommendation & Discussion -The Committee recommends that with the move of the Senior Center, the Social Services intake officer and Veterans Administrator be separated from the Senior Center. Social Services serves families and individuals. Privacy issues are a concern. The Committee recommends that this function be brought back to the Town Office Building where it is easy and convenient for residents to seek assistance. There has been some staff concern about this relocation and we recommend it be discussed further. Town Clerk Identified needs-Technology training space; small meeting rooms; storage space; file storage; _ election equipment storage; parking for employees and visitors; climate controlled permanent record preservation area; and volunteer workspace. Recommendation & Discussion -The Town Clerk's office needs to be easily accessible to the public. The current location provides that access. In addition, the walk-in safe is important to this office's daily function and may need to be expanded. The size of the office is adequate to meet their needs. Town Manager Identified needs-Countertop workspace with computer hook-up for volunteers; meeting space; programming space; training space; confidential space for employment counseling; storage space; vault space; employee parking; and improved customer greeting area. Recommendation & Discussion -The Town Manager's office functions well at its current location. Over the years interns and volunteers, as well as computer and copying equipment, and consolidation of personnel have all contributed to overcrowding. The Town Manager's office could be expanded into the old Selectmen's Meeting Room after the wing is built. Youth Drop-In Identified needs- Space for counseling and programs Recommendation & Discussion -There is a tremendous need for youth(especially middle school students)to have a place to socialize, listen to music, and just relax. This model was tried in Depot Square and while the need was demonstrated,the location was inappropriate. The Committee set about to identify a location that would be convenient to the Center but not affect the businesses. The central location of the Clarke Street Medical building provides an opportunity to fill this need. This building is currently controlled for medical use by the condominium owners. It is the recommendation of the Committee that the Town acquire ownership in the units over time. As they acquire units, Youth Services could occupy the units as an appropriate medical use and begin to develop a drop-in center. These units are reasonably priced(under $100,000). Their value is diminished by the restrictions on their use and planning restrictions that prohibit expansion and make upgrades economically unfeasible. See Appendix D for listing sheets on two units recently listed for sale. 18 PROJECT PRIORI TIZA TION The overriding issues that drove our prioritization were safety and the working conditions in the buildings. The logic to the order of our recommendations focuses on freeing-up space in the Town Office Building while correcting the seriously outdated conditions at the DPW and School Administration building. However, if funding can be found, many of these capital requests should happen in the short-term. In the Committee's estimation, neither the possible purchase of the Clarke Street units nor the possible purchase of the Waldorf School building are high priorities. However, timing circumstances of those purchases may suggest funding them early in order to ensure their availability later. Other circumstances such as adequate Recreation Enterprise funds may enable the athletic field projects to be completed out of priority order. It is the recommendation of the Committee that the Town immediately implement a centralized, i computerized conference room booking system that identifies all spaces available for use Townwide. Before the first two priority projects below can be addressed,the Town needs to identify a design concept that details which functions will be accomodated in the expanded Town Office Complex. I Priority 1 Build a new DPW facility at 201 Bedford Street to accomodate Engineering, Planning, Community Development and Recreation, in that order, as necessary Priority 2 Add wing additions connecting the Town Office Building and the Police Station to Cary Hall to incorporate School Administration and municipal office needs Priority 3 Move the main Fire Station to 201 Bedford Street. Priority 4 Provide a new Senior Center Priority 5 Building parking facility , i Priority 6 Build new athletic fields 19 _j r APPENDICES Documents Available for the Committee's Review A Copy of Survey of Departments. B 1 Listing Sheets for Clarke Street Medical Building C Outline of Procedure for Acquiring Waldorf School. D Map of Sites. E 20 1 APPENDIX A DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE FOR COMMITTEE'S REVIEW 1 Conservation Map 2. Land Acquisition Planning Committee Report, April 30, 1996 3 Evaluation of Alternative Sites for DPW Garage Facility, May 1999 4 Recreation Program Space,November 12, 1999 5 1977 Open Space and Recreation Plan 6. Lexington School Facility Study, January 31, 1994 7 Lexington School Facility Study. Archetype Report 8. Lexington COA Long Range Planning Committee Proposal for a new Senior Center, December 6, 1999 9 Annotated List of all Vacant Land in Lexington 10. Assessor's List of all Town-owned Buildings and Land 11 Building Finance Committee Report to Selectmen, December 18, 1995 12. Muzzey Quitclaim Deed, Master Deed Management Agreement, and other documents related to rights and agreements 13 Munroe School Lease Agreement and Documentation 14 DPW Site Plan 15 Long Range Comprehensive Town and Financial Plan, 1966 16. Long Range Comprehensive Town and Financial. Part II, Long Range Physical Facilities Plans, May 31, 1968 17 Meagherville development Proposal, January 1971 18. Westview Cemetery Master Plan, October 1, 1972 19 Parking Policy Issues in Lexington Center, December 1980 20. Traffic and Overview Study of the Lexington central Business district,November 15, 1983 21 Lexington Center Land Use - Parking Analysis, March 1, 1984 22. Zoning Maps 23 Waldorf Lease _J Selectmen's Office: Space and Building Needs Assessment Questionnaire APPENDIX B Questionaire Department Name: Name of Person completing questionnaire: Phone no. ext. 1. With which other town departments (school and municipal) do you interact? How frequently and in what ways? 2. Describe the extent and type of the current and future interactions with the other departments. (i.e.routine e-mail,shared actual services, shared computer programs,etc.?) 3. With which departments would it be helpful for you to be co-located and why? 4. What type of training space does your department require? Can it be shared,why or why not? ; 5. What conference space does your department need? How often do you use it? ; 6. What current space limitations inhibit your department's ability to perform its functions II fully?Why? 7 What location in Town best serves your purpose? 8. Are there any locations that you know of that you feel are unacceptable and why? l J it Selectmen's Office: Space and Building Needs Assessment Questionnaire 9 How many people work in the department office?How many need desks? How many need a private office? 10. For employees that do not need desk space(e.g.public works,fire,police): What building space does each non-office person require,if any? What specialized indoor or outdoor facilities does he/she need or share? (e.g. workshop or equipment storage). 11 How many people(other town employees,citizens,or others)visit your facility per day? 12. What storage facilities does your department need? Can it be shared? If not, why not? What do you store? 13. How many file cabinets or supplies does your departmental office currently have? Does this number meet your future needs? 14. What other facilities (indoor or outdoor, or specialized), not included above, does your department have?What additional needs are there? 15. What space and/or storage does your department currently have that you could do without? 16. What vehicle access and/or parking spacc is required for town vehicles and employee parking? 17 Are there any ADA issues of which you are aware for your department? 1 Selectmen's Office: Space and Building Needs Assessment Questionnaire 18. In the next 5-10-15-25 years,are there needs issues that should be a part of the planning? 1 19 Has your department done a report on space needs? If so,please provide us with a copy 1 20. Please provide us with any information you think relevant which you have not previously described. II . 1 APPENDIX C 05-Jan-00 09 59 AM COPYRIGHT, 2000, CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MLS [ 1#200014 ADD 16 L/U B-3 CLARKE STREET FT CIB PT OS $60, 000 ZONING MED OCC ARRANGED MAP D-5 ST A TWN LEX AGE 34 LEGAL SMRD BOOK 17718 , PAGE 232 TVA Y YEAR BLT 1966 USE OF STORIES 2 CLEAR HGT 8 HEAT HA APP E YRB 86 SQFT $ 169 49 EXTR CN HZD WASTE U A/C YES BLDG TOT SQFT 354 BTMT N K SEWER TOWN LND OFF 354 LOT 40000 WATER TOWN ASMT 37, 000 ` IWRHS T PAYS GAS TAXES $ 917-99 FRET L NAME ELEC C B ANNUAL DATA RENT 354 DESCR PRKNG YES GOI $ USE 354 YR EST #EMPL LS EXP EXP $289 VAC FLR AREA NOI $ AMPS 220V PRICE INCL HEAT,AC,H2O & SEWER,ELEC FLOW $ VOLTS 220V OWR FIN !OTHER VOL I 1 S TFRT PG EXCL WHR DOE EXCL OTH BY LJ EXTRAS BA, FA, PS, PP, OP, SO, BS REMARKS TASTEFULLY RENOVATED OFFICES IN LEX MED CENTER PLEASE NOTE THAT OWNER / TENANT II MUST BE A MEDICAL OR AFFILIATED USAGE NOTE i BUILT-INS, 1/2 BATH, BERBER CARPET, THOUGHT- LST DATE 04-Jan-00 FUL DESIGN, SOUND-PROOFING EXP DATE 31-May-00 OWNER DAWN GABLE PH 781-862-7240 SA 2 5 SHOW SA LO SLSP LES III PH 781-446-2544 BA 2 SHOW BA LO OFFICE LESTER E SAVAGE, R E PH 781-862-7240 ID 42001 I Enter listing number (s) or ' ESC' key ? I ] Li 993805 1cF>ull or (P) ersonalized format ? Do you wish Feature Table (Y or <N>) ? Do you wish dates printed, if authorized (Y or <N>) ? 03-Feb-00 01 37 PM COPYRIGHT, 2000, CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MLS 1 #993805 ADD 16 L/U 21 CLARKE STREET FT CIB PT OS $93 , 600 ZONING CIB OCC ARRANGED MAP 5D ST A TWN LEX AGE 39 LEGAL SMRD BOOK 15369, PAGE 436 TVA N YEAR BLT 1960 USE OF STORIES 2 CLEAR HGT 0 HEAT FA/FW APP V YRB 83 SQFT $ 180 00 EXTR WF,MS HZD WASTE U A/C CENTRAL BLDG TOT SQFT BTMT UNKNOWN SEWER PUBLIC LND 'OFF 520 LOT 40700 WATER PUBLIC ASMT 73 , 000 WRHS T PAYS GAS YES TAXES $ 1787-99 RET' L NAME ELEC CB ANNUAL DATA RENT DESCR PRKNG 54+ GOI $ USE YR EST #EMPL LS EXP EXP $ VAC FLR AREA NOI $ [ 'AMPS PRICE INCL FLOW $ (VOLTS OWR FIN N OTHER VOL C006 STFRT 320/170 PG 87 EXCL WHR DOE EXCL OTH OPERATING EQUIPMENT BY BF EXTRAS SS, PS, IN, OP,HW, PP [ 'REMARKS ENCLOSED 1ST FL MEDICAL SUITE-2 EXAMIN- ING RMS,RECEPTION AREA, LAV & SPACIOUS OFFIC SERVICE BLDG USE FOR MEDICAL/DENTAL OR AFFILIATED SERVICE 7PHONE LINES UPDTED FOR LST DATE 15-Nov-99 COMPUTERS WELL MAINT BLDG-NEAR BUS & CENTER EXP DATE 15-May-00 OWNER CVA REALTY TRUST PH 781-446-9174 SA 3 0 SHOW SA AP SLSP PHYLLIS RESERVITZ PH 781-446-9174 BA 3 0 SHOW BA AP (OFFICE THE DEWOLFE COMPANY PH 781-862-2600 ID 18102 i Enter an MLS number for Full Print, or <RETURN> to end search ? I 1 I Li , J TOWN OF LEXINGTON APPENDIX D Selectmen's Office Memorandum Date: March 23,2000 ITo: Dawn McKenna, Space/Building Needs Committee From: Norman Cohen,Town Counsel RE: Waldorf School Building Il Current lease expires August 31,2003. Town must give notice prior to August 31, 2000 of its desire to establish the Fair Market Value of the building. Within 20 days of giving notice,Town and Waldorf must each engage an appraiser. (The two appraisers pick a third appraiser.) Within 90 days of engaging the appraisers,the appraisal report is due. Within 90 days after appraisal is received,Town must give Waldorf notice of its intention to ' exercise or not exercise its option to purchase building. If Town exercises option,closing must take place within 10 days after August 31,2003 or 10 days after price is determined as specified,whichever is later. 1625 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington,MA 02420 781-862-0500x208 Fax 781-863-9468 e-mail selectmen@ci.lexington.ma.us ci.lexington.ma.us I APPENDIX E I 2 3 4 ; 6 7 R 9 10 ^^ z= B U �T Cn•1I LEGEND �/�- --.,, Cx T II {r\�, / Oj CRIST/AN SCIENCE CHURCH ON CORNER Of A w�- .,7-_,,_-..',. � f' _�' 0 4h riti'YbY O !T rams?ST. AND rum?STREET l/jJl� {5 r i 11a'/`I' _fV 1 N O cwa%STREET MEDICAL BUILDING 'ir \4L---- '."� 1-\. ) 1'" .S, I •• ''' , t ` 0:;'-' a j 'w~ u 1----"" A_ . _ O DPA EARN AT 201 BEDFORD STREET 1` LM4 Lt y i \ LM1 R"L"- i A� E �` �4\4 , Et$ � \ / 1� aye�i 1 � i �, O GCONU STR££T dCN00L SITSB B 70 I `.: itiA ari, 1 �T LOISLL sT%ET� �R `/ � '�w k Irl 18 tut= LOT NEAT TO OLD RES / //Irf/go/ 7�/ i'-_ �� ST TATd IDDW,Y g �J( 'ISI .f7I �' . ��� . 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