Lakeville committee backs virtual scan, budget study as first step in town hall reuse planning

The Town of Lakeville Town Hall Building Reuse Subcommittee on Sept. 10 agreed to pursue a three-dimensional virtual survey and a targeted preliminary investigation — including an asbestos check and mechanicals review — as the first step in deciding whether to renovate the historic town hall or pursue other options.

The vote to move forward with those tasks was recorded as an action item assigning the town administrator and staff to obtain ballpark pricing and prepare a recommendation and warrant language for the Nov. 12 special town meeting. Subcommittee members said the work will inform an options package that could include different levels of renovation and associated price tags for voters.

Why it matters: the town expects the current fire station to relocate in the next 18 months, which will change how space and utilities are used in the town center. Subcommittee members said they need up-to-date floor plans, a proof-of-condition survey and cost estimates before drafting a town-meeting article to fund design and further study. The group also heard a written request from Lakeville Community Access Media (LakeCAM) asking for space in town hall.

Subcommittee members and staff described the proposed first-step work as a low-cost, high-utility way to create an accurate existing-conditions record. "It's pretty inexpensive," said Dave Mora, a staff member who spoke to the committee, describing Matterport-style 3-D tours and room-by-room floor plans. Mora said similar services the firm produced ran "about $1,500 a unit" for veterinary offices elsewhere and that a small, targeted appropriation would give the committee concrete data to show architects and to share with residents.

Committee members discussed a range of preliminary tasks: an updated as-built or existing-conditions plan, an asbestos survey, sprinkler and hydrant flow testing, and a mechanical systems inventory. One committee member suggested appropriating a not-to-exceed figure in the range of $15,000 to $25,000 to cover initial investigations and a Matterport-style scan; the precise amount will be developed by staff and presented to the board of selectmen.

The subcommittee recorded the following next steps: the town administrator will work with Dave Mora to obtain ballpark pricing for a Matterport-style scan and for a limited scope of design investigation, draft warrant language for the Nov. 12 special town meeting, and return to the subcommittee with a recommended not-to-exceed figure. The committee also agreed to create a dedicated project page on the town website and to return with a timeline and milestone map at its next meeting, tentatively scheduled for Oct. 16.

Members repeatedly stressed constraints that will shape any reuse plan. The town's septic-system capacity was cited as a hard limit on how many employees could be located in the building; asbestos and sprinkler upgrades would trigger additional work and cost; and legal deed covenants tied to the property's acquisition may impose conditions that require review by town counsel. "There are a lot of things that are still done in person at town hall, like notarizing," said Dawn Foster, a subcommittee member. "Could some work be done remotely in the future? Possibly. Eliminating a centralized location altogether would be a significant change."

The committee also discussed the recently completed fire-station bidding process. A member reported that construction bids for the new fire station came in about $6.7 million under the original construction estimate; committee members asked whether any leftover bond language would allow repurposing remaining funds but were told the original vote language was site-specific and did not permit redirecting those proceeds.

LakeCAM, which broadcasts and archives local government meetings and community events, asked the committee in a written letter to consider locating its studio in town hall. "Relocating LakeCAM to the town hall would strengthen LakeCAM's sustainability," Jonathan Watkins, president and chairman of Lakeville Community Access Media, wrote in the letter read at the meeting. Committee members said LakeCAM's request will be factored into space-needs analyses and septic constraints when staff assemble options for voters.

The subcommittee emphasized the distinction between discussion and formal action. The group approved meeting minutes for Aug. 13, 2025, by roll call early in the meeting. The planning items assembled Sept. 10 were advanced as assignments and recommendations to the board of selectmen and will return to the subcommittee for review; no final decision on reuse or on a specific renovation scope was taken at the meeting.

The committee suggested a long-range timetable that starts with the virtual scan and investigation work in late 2025 and conceives of major renovation funding possibly being considered at annual town meeting as late as 2027, if design and sequencing around the new fire station proceed as expected.

Action items recorded by the subcommittee included: asking staff to return a recommended not-to-exceed appropriation figure and draft warrant language for placement on the Nov. 12 special town meeting, preparing a public-facing project page, and returning with a project timeline and milestone map at the next meeting.