NORTH SMITHFIELD – The committee tasked with guiding the project to build a multigenerational center in town has received new cost estimates for the work, and will soon be looking for Town Council authorization to move forward with obtaining final construction documents.
But with an estimated project cost of $7.2 million, it remains unclear how the town will fund the long hoped for center.
The town has obtained $5 million in grants to help with the construction and site work, but costs have escalated since firm Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype, Inc. last presented estimates in 2023.
“As the months go on, prices go up a little bit,” said BH+A Principal Joel Bargmann at a meeting last week. “We’ve whittled things down as close to the original cost as we can get.”
“The time frame that we’ve been working on this has certainly not helped our cause,” agreed Halliwell Multigenerational Building Committee Chairman Jeffrey Porter.
Costs presented by BH+A last week were broken down into two categories, with construction and site work estimated at $6,338,928, and other costs such as engineering fees and a contingency fund tacking on another $949,914.
“This reflects the anticipated cost of lumber and steel that are in the building and other things coming in that would be subject to a tariff,” said Bargmann. “If it isn’t as problematic as we anticipate, it’s to your benefit.”
Designs anticipate a 6,600-square-foot building with a 231-person maximum capacity and 61 parking spaces, on the 39-acre property that once held Halliwell Elementary School. Once complete, the facility is expected to accommodate seniors, local scouting troops, the community garden and more on the town-owned lot.
At the Multigenerational Committee meeting on Thursday, August 31, Bargmann said that permit applications have already been submitted to the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.
“I think what you’re showing us: we’ve cut this project as best we can to fit within our parameters in order to maintain a successful building an a multigenerational center,” said Porter following the presentation. “We’ve really whittled this down as best we can. We’re bare bones here.”
An updated version put together for presentation at the Town Council meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 2 lists more than a dozen add alternates and potential scope revisions to create more savings as needed. The list notes among possible savings that the cost can be reduced by more than $63,000 by changing the building location a bit to reduce site grading, and that a $90,000 fee for remaining demolition on the property could be removed if the Department of Public Works is able to complete that work.
Bargmann noted that needed demo includes a retaining wall, curbing around the site, a flag pole, and old basketball hoops.
“That all needs to come out,” he said.
Committee member and senior advocate Linda Thibault cast an early objection to one potential change to the kitchen that would no longer make it suitable for cooking meals. Bargmann said the town could save around $76,00 by installing a non-commercial kitchen to be used mainly for catering.
“I think there are going to be circumstances that we’re going to cook in that thing and serve people and it has to meet all of the [Department of Health] requirements,” said Thibault. “I’m not sure that’s something we should skimp on. That type of kitchen can be used for so many purposes.”
Thibault noted that grants can be obtained to offset the cost of furniture, and noted that the town is also working with Sen. Jack Reed’s office on an application for an additional $1.5 million grant.
Still, some committee members feared councilors could get sticker shock.
“If I was on the council and I saw this I would take a pause on it,” said member Scott Sevigny. “If you just look at the raw numbers, I’m going to say members of the town council are going to be taken aback a little bit. I don’t feel we’re any closer to bridging that gap.”
“That’s a tough thing to say yes to,” agreed Councilor David Punchak, who serves as the board’s liaison to the committee.
The committee noted that Monday’s meeting will focus on presentation of the figures, with decisions to be made only after a joint meeting with the council scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 18.
“We need their approval for BH+A to move into construction documents,” said Porter, noting that the project could go out to bid in October or November. “The winter is a pretty good time for bidding on these projects.”
This project is not going well and is becoming absurd. The cost keeps going up because the architect and contractors make more money the higher the cost. The people on the committee have zero concern for the taxpayers because they only want a shinny new building. The people on the committee are people who only understand debt and not living within your means. This is what happens when you elect a number of council people who support deficit spending with zero concern for the taxpayers. Woonsocket has a proposal for a community center building that is cheaper with a population 3.5 times the size of NS. Why don’t the two communities combine resources and enjoy the economy of scale that will provide more services with a more fiscally responsible costs.
$7.2 million are you kidding. This project has become a money grab for the architect and contractors because the more you spend the more they make. Time to go back to the cheaper scouters hall plan. Or bid the project with non union contractors that are significantly cheaper. Now let’s compare some facts, Woonsocket has a population that is 3.5 times larger than NS and can build a center for $6.3 million. Here is an idea combine available financial resources and build one center for NS/Woonsocket that will expand program capabilities and capacity while using the economy of scale to be the most cost effective. I do understand that one person will not be the queen of the center but this should be about providing the best service that is affordable. Of course I think the town has many more basic need projects that are more important than building a nice to have community center with zero annual operating funds. Here is another fact how can the town approve a bond or spending without voter approval. Oh wait some NS political leaders are emulating federal leaders.
Yeah, I would say those councilors would be right to be experiencing sticker shock. This building is now approaching $1100/sq-ft, which is basically just about as expensive as construction gets. Like that’s what multi-story luxury hotels cost to build. In just 6 months the costs of this project have increased by another $1 Million.
Woonsocket’s new giant elementary school is coming in at $600/sq-ft, and their new ~4,500 sq-ft animal shelter is about $350/sq-ft. Yes I know an animal shelter or a school has vastly different requirements than a “multi generational center”, but the main “features” of this multi-generational center are a 2000 sq-ft “general purpose room”, some “conference rooms”, a kitchen, and various offices. Essentially empty rooms with very little in them.
How is this not very large building, with not very much going on inside of it, going to cost over $7 Million?
Yes, keep hemming and hawing through the paralysis of analysis for a few more years until the estimate challenges the state budget. Hasn’t anyone figured out that it’s impossible to satisfy everyone in town because human nature just doesn’t work that way?