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Committee exploring purchase of former Lowell General office at 100 Potash Hill Road as lower-cost alternative
Summary
Committee members and staff said they are doing due diligence on 100 Potash Hill Road (former Lowell General offices) to test whether acquiring and converting an existing building could meet fire and police needs for near or less than the cost of a new build; staff expects an order-of-magnitude conversion cost and a potential select-board briefing in early August.
Tyngsborough staff told the Fire Station Building Committee on July 15 that the group is actively evaluating whether buying and converting an existing office building could meet both fire and police facility needs and possibly cost less than building a new station.
Staff member said the committee had received a resident letter suggesting 347 Middlesex Road and that staff had attempted to contact that owner with no response. Separately, staff said the group toured 100 Potash Hill Road, the former Lowell General offices, and is conducting preliminary due diligence. "We are actively doing our due diligence because if there's an avenue where we can acquire property, acquire a building, and achieve a fire station need and a police station need for close to or less than what we would accomplish [with] one building, it's a no brainer," the staff member said.
Staff noted municipal acquisitions require additional appraisals, legal review and timing approvals, and said an architect will need roughly three weeks to provide an order-of-magnitude conversion cost estimate. Staff said it had notified the select board and anticipated engaging the select board in executive session about a potential negotiation by the board's August 10 meeting; staff emphasized the work is early-stage and not a finalized plan.
Committee members asked staff to continue due diligence and to report estimated conversion costs and negotiation risks when available. The committee did not take a formal vote to pursue acquisition; rather, members noted this path as a parallel option while they continue an internal cost-reduction exercise on the new-build proposal.
