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Gail School renovation tops original estimate but nears completion; ribbon-cutting set for June 30, 2026
Summary
Belmont officials said the Gail School renovation grew from an expected $2 million to about $4.5 million but is nearly finished; Boys & Girls Club operations and a reduced playground CDBG project were also discussed, and staff warned CDBG tenant rules could trigger liens if requirements aren’t met.
Belmont Select Board members heard updates on the long-running Gail School renovation and an associated playground project, and were told the project is nearly complete despite large cost overruns.
At a public hearing, staff said the restoration of the historic Gail School at 60 Conference Street was originally expected to cost $2 million but has grown to about $4.5 million. Completion is expected shortly and a ribbon-cutting is scheduled for June 30, 2026. The Boys & Girls Club plans to begin child-care operations at the site in mid-July, officials said.
Why it matters: the renovation used Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, which requires that projects primarily benefit low- and moderate-income persons. Staff told the board that tenant selection for the building must meet a 51% low-and-moderate-income threshold; if a qualifying tenant cannot be found the CDBG program’s requirements could trigger a lien and require partial repayment of grant funds. Staff estimated the potential repayment at roughly $250,000 if the CDBG conditions are not satisfied.
Resident Woody praised the project’s long history of volunteer effort and fundraising, saying, “after 40 years of effort we finally got there,” and noted that no local tax dollars were used to complete much of the work.
The board also held a separate public hearing on a related CDBG economic development grant for playground equipment. Staff explained that the Boys & Girls Club originally anticipated creating six new jobs tied to the playground project but now expects to create two positions while transferring other jobs from a recently closed location; that change reduces the playground project’s scope from about $230,000 to approximately $70,000. Staff said some equipment will be moved from the closed site to the Gail School location.
The Select Board closed both hearings after receiving public comment and urged continued efforts to identify a tenant that meets CDBG requirements to avoid grant recapture or repayment. The board did not take additional binding action at the meeting beyond accepting public comment and recording the updates.
