County outlines three-phase plan to restore Norwich Community Hall; phase 1 estimated at $147,000

Rick Stewart, assistant director in Public Works, and Parks & Recreation staff updated the Board on the county-owned Norwich Community Hall, a circa‑1907 building donated to the county. Stewart said structural inspections, asbestos and lead surveys, and an ADA review were completed and recommended a three-phase rehabilitation to bring the hall back into public use.

Phase 1 focuses on structural stabilization, roof repair, patching, flooring safety work, parking-lot striping and initial accessibility upgrades (estimated at 20% of the project cost), with a staff estimate of about $147,000 to reach a condition that would allow limited public use. Phase 2 (FY2028) would address kitchen upgrades, bathroom work and interior panel replacement (estimated $119,000). Phase 3 (FY2029) would include replacement of the main hall flooring, electrical upgrades, lighting, parking lot replacement and completion of accessibility work. Stewart said a historic renovation alternative that preserved the original pine beadboard and restored the sunrise/sunset flooring pattern would add an estimated $175,000 to the total.

Parks & Recreation staff said the building previously hosted recurring community rentals — church groups, clubs and weddings — and noted limited existing parking (about 20 spaces) could constrain capacity unless partnerships expanded parking. Supervisors asked whether kitchen work and Phase 1 and Phase 2 could be combined to reduce closures and accelerate revenue generation from rentals; staff said they would evaluate combining phases if funding allows. The board expressed strong interest in preserving character-defining elements where feasible and asked staff to develop cost and funding options.