Future of former HES property

What to do with former HES?

FACTS

-The Town is budgeting $115,000 in the upcoming budget for the basic maintenance of HES for the next year.
-The Capital budget includes $400,000 for a new roof.
-The Town has $480,000 in state funding for a new roof and playground.

-The inefficient oil-fired boilers are nearing the end of their useful life and there is no central air conditioning.
-The property has been listed for sale or lease on Loop Net, a nationwide commercial listing site, for 2 years with no serious interest.
-The HES building is 45,000 sq.ft. It is made up of individual classrooms, a gym, library administrative offices and a multi-purpose room.

-A town of Haddam’s size will never need a 45,000 sq.ft. building.

-Utilizing the building for other purposes is challenging due to the extent and cost of renovations.
-The “old section” is 12,000 sq.ft. of classrooms and 8,000 sq.ft of library, multi-purpose room and the former principal office.
-The current Senior Center, Community Center and Town Hall Annex are approximately 6,000 sq.ft. These facilities are inadequate for a town of Haddam’s size.

-At this point there is no funding allocated for a senior/community center.

The town needs to make decisions before spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a new roof. This is only the first step in the process. We would appreciate your responses to the following questions. Thank you

Question Title

* 1. Put a new roof on the entire building. Build a park in the area of the former playscape with remaining funds? Eventually renovate the old section for senior/community center.

Thoughts to Consider - Continue paying $115,000 per year for maintenance of a mostly vacant building. Hope to find a use for the remainder of the building to off set costs. The cost of this option approximately $880,000.

Yes

Question Title

* 2. Demolish the entire building and develop a first-rate town park, with $480,000 in state grant. Reserve a site for a new Senior/Community Center?

Thoughts to Consider - The $400,000 in the capital line should cover the cost of demolition. The cost to renovate existing may be comparable or more than the cost to build a new energy efficient Senior/Community Center. A portion of the $115,000 could be used for annual park maintenance and programming.

Yes

Question Title

* 3. Demolish the two (2) story classroom section behind the gym and use that land for an expanded town park, put a new roof on the original school and eventually use for a Senior / Community Center?

Thoughts to consider - $300,000 from the capital line should cover the cost of demolition leaving $580,000 for roof and park development. There should be a reduction in annual maintenance costs. There is little sense to heating, maintaining and putting a new roof on a portion of the building the town may never use.

Yes