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Architect presents bank‑barn design for new township building; board flags playground relocation and cost implications
Summary
Architect Martin showed schematics for a proposed bank‑barn style township building with police bays, community meeting rooms and EV readiness. Board members raised the issue of a playground relocation — staff estimated full replacement at about $750,000 and a simple relocate at roughly $300,000–$400,000 — and asked for follow‑up with the historic commission and park board.
Martin, the project presenter, showed supervisors schematic designs for a new township building described as a bank‑barn solution that places police functions in a secured lower level and public meeting, administrative and community spaces above. He said the design includes three garage bays and a secure police holding/processing area, space for evidence and training rooms that can double as community meeting space, EV charging infrastructure provisioned in the roof design, and an elevator to meet accessibility standards.
The board heard that the design aims to preserve sight lines and historic character while improving operational efficiency. Martin summarized the approach: the building would tuck into the downhill slope to create a two‑level elevation that reduces perceived bulk and provides direct, secure access for police vehicles. He added that mass timber and a concrete base were among the sustainable and aesthetic options under consideration.
Why it matters: the design carries operational, community and budget consequences. Supervisors and staff identified three near‑term decisions: what to do with the existing township building (retain and renovate, repurpose as parks/rec/library annex, or remove), whether to relocate and upgrade the playground to keep it away from police egress, and how to phase the next design milestones through the historic commission and park and recreation board.
Board discussion and next steps included staff requests to complete cost line items and return with higher‑fidelity designs. On the playground, staff said relocating and upgrading the playground as shown in the current schematic would add roughly $750,000 to the borrow amount if fully redone; one supervisor estimated a lower‑cost relocation could be about $300,000–$400,000. Martin said the project team would analyze options (retain vs. remove the existing building) and present cost comparisons and design refinements to the historic commission and the park board, and would reach out to adjacent residents on New Town Road for input.
The board was not asked to vote on the schematic this evening; staff framed the presentation as a design check‑in. Martin and staff said they would return in a few months with more detailed materials and cost breakdowns to support any borrowing decisions and to allow formal reviews by the historic commission and park and rec board.
