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Select Board endorses moving forward on Harbor Master building; $1.5M shortfall identified
Summary
After a decade of planning and multiple bids that exceeded estimates, the Select Board agreed Sept. 10 to proceed with final construction documents and to seek funding options for a projected $1.5 million shortfall to replace the downtown Harbor Master building and public restroom facility.
The Select Board on Sept. 10 endorsed proceeding with final construction documents and a bid schedule for a replacement Harbor Master building and public restroom facility at the town pier, while acknowledging a projected funding gap of roughly $1.5 million. Project background: Charles Gibson, project manager for the Harbor Master site, summarized a multiyear process that included a needs analysis, structural studies and several rounds of bidding. Initial professional estimates in 2021 were approximately $2.5 million, but bids after the COVID era returned much higher prices. A May 2021 bid round produced a low bid of about $4.8 million against earlier estimates; a 2023 re‑bid returned a low bid near $8.9 million. Value engineering and permitting steps reduced cost drivers: the team secured waivers to avoid an elevator and replaced wrap‑around handicap ramps with a chairlift to limit foundation and ramp costs; ceiling heights were adjusted to reduce building volume while maintaining functionality. Recent professional estimating (RGB) produced a current estimate near $6.1 million. Town funds on account total just under $5.0 million, leaving a projected gap of about $1.5 million to reach a July 2026 construction target. Select Board discussion and funding: Board members expressed support for moving forward but discussed funding options. Several suggested the town consider offshore‑wind settlement funds (the Vineyard Wind blade failure settlement) as an appropriate waterfront‑dependent use; others said free cash or borrowing and a future town‑meeting appropriation are possibilities. The board instructed staff to continue finalizing construction documents, advance a bid schedule and return with funding recommendations. Why it matters: The building serves critical public functions—restrooms and showers for harbor users—and houses Harbor Master operations that supervise a busy municipal pier. Town officials said the existing building is structurally deficient and not code‑compliant, with failing restroom floors. Next steps: Staff will finalize bid‑ready construction documents, continue permitting and return with specific funding options and a timeline for a public appropriation or other funding mechanisms.
