HomeMy WebLinkAbout1956-ATOBC-rpt.pdf REPORT OF THE AD 7ITIONAL TOWN' OFFICE BUILDING COMMITTEE
Article 40. POTION; That the Moderator be and hereby is
(1955) authorized and directed to appoint an
Additional Town Office Building Committee
of five residents of the Town, two of whom
shall be members of the Board of Selectmen
at the time of their appointment, to retain
architectural services and obtain plans and
specifications and cost estimates for the
construction and original equipping and
furnishing of an adcitional town office
building, similar in design to the present
town office building, and to report to the
1956 Annual Town Meeting; and that the sum
of 010,000.00 be appropriated for the
expenses of the Committee and be provided
by transfer from the Excess and Deficiency
Account,
The Committee in proceeding under this article has had in
mind that it is a reasonable possibility that in twenty years the
population of the town would reach the 50,000 or 55,000 mark,
The Committee at its first meeting selected the firm of Kilham,
Hopkins, Greeley and Brodie as architects, The reason for this selec-
tion was, that this firm of architects had designed the present Town
Office Building and Cary Memorial Hall and we felt that they would be
the logical firm to design the new building.
At the second meeting of the Committee, Mr. William Roger Greeley,
representing the architects, was authorized to make a survey of all
present Town Department Offices and to start the preparation of plans
and specifications as authorized under this Article,
The Committee has held a number of meetings at which the needs
of the various departments were studied. Most of these meetings were
attended by Mr. Greeley.
It was apparent that the most critical need for additional space
and facilities was in the Police Department. In view of this, the
Committee, in the company of the ?olice Chief and the architect, visited
the Police Department buildings in the towns of Wakefield and Wellesley
to examine their facilities.
The population of these municipalities most nearly represented
the future growth of Lexington, with Police Buildings which were of
recent construction and design.
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Several meetings following were attended by the Chief of Police
to explein the needs of his Department and to discuss and co-ordinate
with the Committee and the architect the space requirements and
facilities needed.
All other departments were studied and discussed and it was
agreed by the Committee that the Building Department, Health and
Assessors' Departments, which were in need of additional space,
should be housed in the proposed new building as it appeared after
consideration of the functions of these departments that it would
be best to place them in the new building.
It will be noted by examination of the plans that the basement
and first floor in. the proposed new building would be occupied by
the Police Department and the other three departments, mentioned
above, would occupy the second floor.
Certain rooms designated on the plan ae Conference Rooms, would,
if necessary, perm_ t future expansion of these departments.
It should be noted here that Article 40 does not authorize this
Committee to report on changes or alterations in the present Town Office
Building which would be necessary to enlarge the quarters of the depart+
ments remaining therein and permit the housing of the departments now
located in the Barnes property to be relocated in the present building,.
The Comniittes, however, in consultation with Mr, Greeley did
Ave some thought to this and it appeared that the cost of changes
and alterations required would not be very great.
Preliminnry plans showing the extent of the study which has
been given to the proposed alterations to the present building are
submitted herewith, for the consideration of the Board of Selectmen.
It will be noted that the augeested alterations indicated on the
plans can be accomplished by the removal of certain partitions and
the addition of a few new ones,
In connection with the present office building changes. the
Committee wars advised by Mr, Burns, the former Superintendent of
the Public Werke Department, that the electric wiring system Vas
in very poor condition. It would appear from his remarks that
some or all of the circuits might be overloaded to some degree.
Se stated that switch boxes were running warm and where it was
possible to examine the wiring, the insulation had. lost ita
properties of elasticity and adhesion and with any amount of
handling fell off the wires. The Committee recommends that a
study of this condition be made in the very near future.
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The plans and preliminary specifications and an estimate of
cost of the proposed new building are submitted herewith. The estimate
secured by the architect has been submitted to two other engineers
for comment and both were substantially in agreement with the unit
costs used in the preparation thereof,
The estimate which the Committee has submitted herewith can
be substantiated by the following indexes which have been compiled
by the "Engineering News Record", a publication which is recognized
throughout the construction indtstry.
In the year 1913, 100 is taken as representing the base index;
from 1925 to 1929 the index stayed very close to 180 and as of today
the index has a value of 500. When we divide 500 by 180 we arrive
at a factor of 2.77 and using this factor to determine what the
relative increase in cost through the years from 1927 to 1956 would
be, we find that where the const of the present office building in
1927 was approximately *100,000,00 we multiply this figure by the
factor 2.77 and we have a resultant figure of $277,000.00.
Another index used by one of the largest construction companies,
which operates nationally, shows an index of 105 for the year 1927
and a value of 265 as of January of this year; again, dividing 265
by 105 we arrive at a factor of 2,71 and using this factor we arrive
at a present day figure of 1;271,000,00.
In view of the foregoing, the Committee is satisfied that the
estimate as submitted is sufficiently accurate to be used as the
amount requested for the appropriation.
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We submit here a breakdown of the amount which the Committee
feels should be appropriated for construction and furnishing of the
building.
General Contract $257,432.00
Architect 's Fee - 8% of the above $20,594.00
Less amount paid or payable out
of the $10,000.00 allotted to the
Committee under Article 40 9,000.00 11,594.00
Bond 2,574.00
Furnishings and equipment 10,900 .00
Contingency 15,500.00
Total: $298,000.00
Suggested arrangement for financing:-
Amount to be appropriated this year 18,000.00
Amount to be raised by bond issue 280,000 .00
Yearly payments;
On principal 14,000.00
Average interest payment (' 2%) 3,500.00
Average annual payments 17,500.00
Respectfully submitted,
AD_.ITIONAL TEMN ut'FICE BUILDING COMMITTEE
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