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Select Board hears design and $6.2 million estimate for West Dennis bathhouse replacement
Summary
Architects outlined a raised, ~3,000-sq-ft replacement for the West Dennis bathhouse to meet FEMA velocity-flood requirements; the design raises occupiable floors to roughly 17 feet, uses an exterior handicap lift for ADA access and anticipates a current project estimate of $6,207,597 paid from the Beach Improvement Fund.
The Dennis Select Board heard detailed plans and an early budget estimate July 28 for a replacement West Dennis bathhouse at West Dennis Beach.
Tim Sawyer of Catalyst Architects said the existing 70-year-old facility will be replaced with a similarly sized building that raises its finished floor to about 17 feet because the site lies in a FEMA velocity flood zone. "We end up with a building with a finished floor elevation of plus or minus 17 feet," Sawyer said, noting the finished floor will sit roughly 12 feet above surrounding grade and require ramps, stairs and an exterior handicap lift for accessibility.
The higher elevation creates an open understorey intended for screened, lockable storage for beach and lifeguard equipment. Sawyer said the design team aimed to keep the new footprint close to the existing footprint "to disturb the site as little as possible," which helps regulatory permitting and preserves sensitive habitat.
Ben Hack of Architectural Consulting Group reviewed the current cost estimate, saying the construction estimate is about $4.93 million, with additional fees and contingency bringing the total to $6,207,597. "So the total project cost is $6,207,597," Hack said. He identified an owner-project-manager fee (~7%), contingency (roughly 3%), and a vendor-estimate for the lift at about $100,000 as notable line items.
Beach and recreation director Dustin Pino said the project is planned to be funded from the Beach Improvement Fund and bonded to beach operations rather than the town general tax levy. The team said they will update cost estimates at the 50% construction-document milestone (expected around October) and target a February–March 2027 bid to place a finalized price on the May 2027 town meeting warrant.
Board members pressed on accessibility and resiliency tradeoffs. Several members asked whether a conventional elevator was considered; the design team said an exterior lift is less expensive and better suited to the coastal environment and said state rules limit lift use above 14 feet, which affected design choices. Tim Sawyer and staff said ramps to a 17-foot elevation would be impractical because of run-length and landing requirements.
Next steps include continued design refinement, regulatory permitting and an updated cost estimate in the fall; the team expects to return to the board in October with updated documents and cost numbers.
