Debate over preserving old fire station at 51 Main Street divides Town Meeting

Westford Town Meeting approved a broad capital reallocation that included $330,000 to stabilize the century-old building at 51 Main Street, a former fire station the town now uses for storage and limited space needs.

The appropriation would fund exterior stabilization work and about $48,000 in first-floor renovation to create office space for animal-control officers. Assistant Town Manager Dan O'Donnell said the goal is to "protect this asset to allow continued and expanded use, preserving our options in the future," not to commit the town to a particular long-term reuse.

Opponents argued the building had been rejected as a replacement for town offices in prior town meetings and noted structural and deferred-maintenance history. Resident John Amato called the proposal "a study" that would simply lengthen a cycle that could lead to a multimillion-dollar renovation. "We've said no twice and now we're going to vote to renovate it," Amato said.

Town staff and consultants (Tecton Architects) responded that the building is structurally sound for limited use; the request focuses on preventing further water intrusion and buying additional useful life while the town completes a long-range facilities plan tied to the Robinson School feasibility study. Staff estimated stabilization would extend the building's useful life five-to-ten years and that demolition would cost an estimated $600,000-—$800,000 depending on required site work.

Voters considered a motion to sever 51 Main Street out of the capital package but that motion failed (211 no to 171 yes). The overall first motion under Article Nine (multiple free-cash capital items including 51 Main Street) passed by voice and clicker totals recorded later (first motion recorded 339 yes to 52 no).