CUMMINGTON — Nobody showed up for a recent informational forum about the future of the old Berkshire Trail Elementary School, but town officials still provided an update on plans to convert the former school into a community hub with town offices, commercial rental space, and an emergency shelter with a food hub.
The newest update on the project, which has been in the works for several years, is that the Select Board appointed six people to a new Berkshire Trail Committee which will be tasked with getting the doors of the former school opened.
Step one for the committee is getting construction plans finalized. At one point there were ambitions to install geothermal and other features to the building, but the committee instead will focus on the “bare bones” of the building to make it operational without breaking the town’s bank.
“Now as a committee, we can explore what we need to do to get the construction documents so we can get the real, final cost,” said Mark Hoechstetter, chair of the committee. He said the committee will also secure final quotes so the project can go out to bid, though the final amount will need to be accepted at annual Town Meeting next spring.
On the committee with Hoechstetter are Vice Chair Maureen Tumenas, Secretary Mark Demaranville, and members Brian Gilman, Peter Tessier and June Lynds. The committee will work alongside project manager Martin Goulet and architect Tom Chalmers with Austin Designs.
Previous estimates for the project were posted at $8.7 million, but this number was based off a schematic in which the whole building would be renovated. Right now, the committee is focused on three crucial factors for the building to become operational: fixing radiators, and installing a new boiler and fire suppression system.
“We can’t go in the building because a building of that size needs a fire suppression system and a fire alarm,” said Hoechstetter.
The current heating units are a “mishmash” of systems, he said, and they will receive attention. Radiators currently in the building can be salvaged but the building’s boiler needs to be replaced.
“Everything is 30 years old or more. Some of it is 50 years,” he said, explaining that the bulk of the building was erected in 1951 with an addition put on in 1991.
Lynds said that thus far $45,000 has been spent on a feasibility study. Some money from a $400,000 grant has been used for construction documents, and the remaining money will be used to form plans going forward. Additionally, the town is expecting $1 million as part of a state bond bill that the governor’s office has yet to release. Eventually, the town will apply for a One Stop grant from the state to cover additional costs.
Hilltown Community Development (CDC) also received a grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to install a community kitchen inside the former school.
Hoechstetter noted that the broadband hub being located inside the former school also has regional benefits since it is a central hub that relays internet access to the neighboring town of Plainfield and as far west at Pittsfield.