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Tower Street community center close to funding for first phase; $345,000 gap remains
Summary
Project leaders told the council the planned first phase of the Tower Street community center — 8,000 square feet including health, job training and community space — has $5.77 million committed toward a $6.12 million first‑phase cost, leaving roughly $345,000 to raise before October 2026 deadlines.
Westerly — Project leaders told the Town Council on Monday that the first phase of the planned Tower Street community center is fully redesigned to fit available funding and is about $345,000 short of the first‑phase construction budget.
Attorney Thomas Liguori, presenting on behalf of the Tower Street Center and project partners, said the first phase will be a single‑story, 8,000‑square‑foot building with space allocated for primary care and behavioral health, job training and community meeting areas. “The first phase will be one story in height and have 8,000 square feet — 2,000 square feet for Wood River Health, 2,300 square feet for the Rhode Island Office of Postsecondary Education, and 2,700 square feet of common area and community services,” he said.
Why it matters: The project is intended to add primary care, behavioral health and job training space in Westerly. Project leaders said meeting the federal and funding deadlines is a driver of the phased approach.
Funding and schedule details - Estimated total cost for phase 1: $6,117,524. - Committed funds reported by the presenter: $5,772,939. - Amount to raise for phase 1 as reported at the meeting: approximately $345,000 (figures presented as of the council meeting). - Major funding sources cited: pandemic relief funds (the presenter said the town’s allocation increased from an initial $1,395,000 to $3,440,000 as the project met interim requirements), an awarded HUD grant of $1,500,000, and charitable donations from the Royce Family Fund, Washington Trust, Wesley Community Credit Union, Delta Dental of Rhode Island, the Mancini Foundation and the Rhode Island Foundation.
Project partners and uses Liguori said partners include Wood River Health (a federally qualified health center that serves Westerly), the Rhode Island Office of Postsecondary Education (job training), and Tower Street Center Inc., a nonprofit formed as a 501(c)(3). The presenter said initial construction will prioritize space for healthcare services and job training, with build‑out to later phases dependent on additional funding and prioritization.
Site, preconstruction and risks Liguori told the council the building is being readied for demolition and that asbestos was found during abatement work; the project opted for a higher base remediation cost rather than a lower‑initial fee plus add‑ons because of the discovered asbestos. He said site design, permits and review with the planning board are in process and identified the general contractor and consultants.
Council questions and next steps Councilors asked whether earmarks that had been discussed previously would arrive in the current federal budget; Liguori said the earmarks in the stalled spending bill were not funded and that the town has been asked to update details for future earmark requests. Councilors also requested the project blueprint be provided to the town manager for distribution.
No council vote was required or taken at the meeting. Project leaders said they will continue fundraising and work toward meeting the October 2026 deadline for certain funding lines.
