AMHERST — A new Department of Public Works headquarters would provide almost triple the room available in the existing building, based on a space program consultants developed from a needs assessment
The 52,955-square-foot proposal is a starting point for the footprint of the new building, not a final design or program, according to representatives from Weston & Sampson, who presented the concepts to the DPW Building Committee last week.
The consultants are continuing to investigate whether such a permanent building could be constructed at the current 586 South Pleasant St. site. They are also looking at the Ruxton gravel pit in North Amherst, at 531 Pulpit Hill Road, as a possible satellite location.
Though conceptual designs for a permanent and temporary building haven’t yet begun, J.P. Parnas, lead architect and project manager with Weston & Sampson, said the garage has been sized for the total number of large diesel vehicles and any vehicles that need to be inside for emergency purposes, with outside covered storage for many of the remaining vehicles. The building would also feature maintenance bays and work shops, offices and locker rooms.
Parnas said there could be multiple buildings with smaller footprints if second or third stories are added, though a certain amount of ground level space would be required.
The current 18,835-square-foot building, fashioned from a 1916 trolley barn, is in poor condition. It has been the public works site since the 1940s.
There are questions related to the current site, based on test pits and borings that were done, as well as its proximity to wetlands. The Conservation Commission will review whether this size of building would fit and would allow the DPW to continue using the site for storing other vehicles.
“We’re going to pursue as much as we can and see what conservation will allow us to do,” Parnas said.
There are questions, too, about what the town can afford, as Parnas said estimates are that the project would range from $600 to $800 per square foot in construction costs. Based on the size of the space needs, the building cost alone would be between $31.8 million and $42.4 million.
Bob Peirent, special capital projects coordinator, said the hope is to get as much done within the budget, though also make it adaptable for future needs.
“This is not going to do everything, it’s going to do what we can afford,” Peirent said.
Finance Director Sean Mangano said there may need to be a paring of the design if costs need to be reduced.
District 4 Councilor Pam Rooney said basic needs seem to have been covered and she’s comfortable that building processes and functions would be handled.
“It feels like the components, from my basic knowledge, seem to be covered,” Rooney said.
Christine Gray-Mullen, who chairs the committee, said Weston & Sampson are experts in doing these projects and have already shrunk it down as much as possible.
“I think, in general, what we’re looking at is what we’re looking at, it’s something that is well thought out,” Gray-Mullen said.
