Council weighs two public-works facility options: renovate/infill (~$5M) or full rebuild (~$8M); no binding vote

Essex Junction — City staff and a project presenter laid out two early concepts on Aug. 27 for replacing or upgrading the Public Works facility on Jackson Street: a renovation/infill option estimated at roughly $5 million and a full rebuild option in the neighborhood of $8 million.

The presentation, led by a project presenter (identified in the record as Rick) and Public Works Superintendent Ricky Jones, showed site diagrams, existing building footprints and two conceptual plans. The “Version 1” infill option would connect an existing 2,000-square-foot water building to a 5,388-square-foot barn via a new 9,900-square-foot addition; the plan preserves much of the current site so operations could continue during construction. The presenter said Version 1’s preliminary cost estimate is “in the ballpark, $5,000,000.”

The “Version 2” option would demolish most site structures (keeping only the corner salt shed) and build a single new facility of about 21,000 square feet. The presenter gave a preliminary estimate for…