COA reviews design for Center at the Heights renovation; kitchen, vestibule and fitness spaces top concerns

Needham —4 —4 The Council on Aging reviewed schematic-design drawings for a consolidated renovation of the Center at the Heights during a public meeting, focusing on a new vestibule, converting the existing kitchen to a commercial kitchen, and swapping the game room and fitness room to enlarge exercise space.

Board and staff discussion focused on operational details (how to keep congregate meals running during work), accessibility and staffing, and the budget and construction timeline. Project architects from BH&A and a building-design representative presented plans and answered questions about alternatives for staff break space, parking and staging for construction.

The board heard that the proposed vestibule would sit on the parking-lot side of the building and include entrances from both the building and the lot; the design team said the canopy will be placed over the parking-lot-side entrance to avoid interfering with upper windows. The team also said the vestibule would include signage, an accessible entry and automatic door controls and that parking would be restriped to improve access to accessible spaces.

Architects described the kitchen work as substantial demolition with a retained service counter at the serving window, installation of commercial appliances, a new walk-in refrigerator and freezer and reusable stainless-steel work tables in place of the current teaching island. The design team said the existing grease trap will need to be replaced with a larger unit and that a new hood is being priced as an alternate. A project presenter said the…