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Demolition of Erwin property expands after hazardous‑materials findings; town used internal funds to cover gaps
Summary
Staff told the council the Erwin demolition project has grown beyond its original budget after asbestos and other hazardous materials were found in a basement bomb shelter; the project will go to the Board of Selectmen and could face a historic‑review delay.
Tiger told the Finance Town Council that the Erwin demolition project’s projected cost increased after environmental testing identified more hazardous materials than originally estimated. "We started off with a budget of about 550,000...we took the middle road...it came in around closer to 400," Tiger said when describing a larger than expected environmental abatement scope, and added the town used funds from another project account to avoid seeking an additional appropriation.
Why it matters: the presence of asbestos and other hazardous materials increased remediation costs and extended the project timeline. Tiger said the building has an extensive basement and a bomb shelter that required additional environmental work, driving up costs compared with earlier estimates.
Funding and approvals: Tiger said staff secured a transfer of funds through the Board of Finance to cover the higher demolition and remediation costs and will present the project to the Board of Selectmen on Tuesday. He said that move allowed work to proceed without returning to the council for an emergency appropriation.
Historic‑review risk and timing: Tiger said the town expects to complete the demolition by the end of the year "but that assumes that it will not be remanded to the historic...review commission." If the building is remanded as historic, Tiger said, there could be delays into late winter or spring. He cautioned that the town’s chief building official and the historic review process determine whether a remand occurs and that the town can’t predict that outcome.
Operational steps and related work: Tiger said the project also includes moving maintenance and storage inventory from the existing garage into a barn, work he estimated at about $108,000 that is tied into the demolition contract. He said staff hired an environmental firm to assess contamination and that the remediation costs were the primary driver of the budget increase.
Next steps: staff will go to the Board of Selectmen for approval to proceed. If Selectmen approve and the project is not remanded for historic review, Tiger said demolition and remediation are expected to finish by year‑end; if remanded, the timeline could extend into the next season.
