Westborough officials review updated designs and cost estimates for Stein Mart community center conversion

The Town of Westborough on Tuesday held a joint meeting of the Select Board and the Municipal Building Committee to review updated designs and cost estimates for converting the former Stein Mart site into a community center that would include a senior center, temporary library space and a flexible auditorium.

Architect Joel Bargmann of BH + A presented the design and said the base senior-center construction cost is $7,700,000. He described a layout that places the accessible entry where the sidewalk slopes into the building, a multipurpose room sized for roughly 225 seats, a kitchen with a serving window and a grab-and-go counter, and offices for services such as a nurse and flexible professional space. "The senior center construction cost is 7,700,000.0," Bargmann said during the presentation.

Why it matters: the plan is intended to serve multiple age groups and to allow a staged build-out. The design team emphasized flexibility: the multipurpose room is configured for day-to-day senior programs while a future build-out could convert adjacent areas into a 300–350-seat theater or banquet hall with collapsible seating.

Key cost items and alternates: In addition to the base construction figure, Bargmann provided alternate line items that the town could opt to add or defer. Alternates and their estimate lines presented include a new elevator to the second floor (architect estimate $981,000), an additional stair ($228,000), two additional program rooms (about $880,000), an accessible auditorium entry/ramp ($626,000) and an emergency generator ($548,000). Bargmann said contingency (listed at about $690,000, or roughly 7.5%) remains partly to cover unknown hazardous-materials or geotechnical conditions where the elevator is proposed. "Until we fully understand [soil conditions], we don't really want to lower the contingency," he said.

Pool repair and capital plan: The project team described the town pool as nonfunctional because the shell liner has deteriorated and allowed chlorine to damage the lightweight concrete. Bargmann and a pool consultant said a scope that includes liner replacement, updated filtration and pool equipment is estimated at $406,000; the presenter noted South Shore Gunite provided vendor input on that line item and that the pool cost is in the capital plan for fiscal 2026.

Rooftop HVAC and rebates: The architect discussed an opportunity to replace rooftop HVAC equipment using Mass Save / Eversource programs that could provide rebates to lower the town cost for certain rooftop units. The team said the new rooftop equipment is a hybrid heat-pump unit with gas backup intended to improve energy efficiency while maintaining performance in cold weather. The presentation included a line for rooftop repairs and a broader roof-rewarranty option; the roof-repair estimate was discussed as a budgetary figure of roughly $250,000 (rounded from prior due-diligence figures), and Greenwood Industries was identified as the consultant the town has engaged for an updated roof survey.

Questions and concerns from the committees: Municipal Building Committee members pressed for clarity on total project cost, phasing and construction impacts. Peter O'Neil (municipal building committee) asked the team to show the slide with phased costs and to clarify the base project total versus alternates. Board members repeatedly raised concerns about the roof's remaining useful life and whether patching and a rewarranty would provide long-term protection; one member said an older roof might not reliably yield a 20-year extension even with repairs. Tom Gazounis, the owner's project manager from CHA, explained the role of an on-site representative (OSR) — described as the full-time on-site eyes and ears during construction — and said CHA will provide that representation.

Procurement, bidding and town meeting timing: The team discussed procurement strategy for alternates and emphasized that Massachusetts construction procurement requires alternates to be prioritized in the bid documents; bidders must be able to price alternates in the order they would be awarded. The presenters recommended bidding alternates so the town can see actual costs before choosing which alternates to fund, and cautioned that getting detailed bids before funding is approved can be difficult because vendors may be reluctant to prepare bids for unfunded projects. Several members urged robust public education and outreach ahead of any town-meeting article.

What’s next: The project team said the capital request for the pool is in the FY26 capital plan and that the Select Board and Municipal Building Committee will continue to refine bid documents, engage Greenwood for a roof update, and coordinate outreach and timing for town meeting funding. The meeting ended with a motion to adjourn; no formal vote on funding or alternates was recorded during the session.

Ending: The committees left the meeting with follow-up tasks: refresh the roof survey, refine alternates and phasing for bidding, and continue outreach so voters understand the scope and cost before any warrant article is filed.