Questions were raised about the age and condition of the roof at the former Center School during Tuesday’s meeting of the Permanent Building Committee.
Committee members agreed to look into the cost of a potential full replacement in case that scope of work would be needed.
The question of the roof’s history was part of an ongoing review of plans for the former Center School, now vacant, which is located at 11 Ash Street.
The local firm of Gorman Richardson Lewis Architects (GRLA) is developing plans for the school, which opened in 1928 and closed 90 years later in 2018.
Town Meeting members last May unanimously approved a request for $600,000 to fund construction bid documents and engineering plans to determine the future of the building.
This funding, which was allocated through the Community Preservation Committee, allowed a request for proposals to go forward for a $10 million project.
The roof of the building has an uncertain history, Jeremy Toal, integrated services project manager for GRLA, told committee members.
A roof replacement reportedly was done in 2004, he said, and parts of the structure, including metal ridge caps and snow guards, wouldn’t have been there in 1928, when the building was constructed.
But the discovery of rust stains and broken slates indicate at least portions of the roof is older, he said.
“If there was a full replacement 20 years ago, you shouldn’t be seeing rust stains everywhere and broken slates,’’ Toal said.
Committee members will research the issue to determine the exact history of work done on the roof. They also agreed to at least get a cost estimate for a full replacement, even if that had to be budgeted for further down the road.
Questions also were raised about whether a new roof, if needed, would have to be slate or if it could be constructed using plastic roofing materials.
Representatives of the architectural firm have stressed the importance of sustainability and accessibility. Toal has said the goal is to have the building fully electric.
The Historic District Commission [Editor’s note: Corrected from Historical Commission] is scheduled to review plans for the project at its Jan. 14 meeting.
GRLA principal and co-founder Scott Richardson said he hopes to put the plans together to get a cost estimate soon while continuing to work on refining the design. This will allow the design work to continue with “much better information,’’ he said
The building’s future plans call for the demolition of the two additions in the rear of the building. The historic front building architecture will be maintained.
The building is scheduled to house Hopkinton Center for the Arts programming and the town’s Parks & Recreation and Youth & Family Services departments.
The reuse of the school is a public-private partnership between the town and the Hopkinton Center for the Arts.
Small correction – it’s the Historic District Commission, not the Historical Commission, that will be reviewing the plans on January 14th.
Stop wasting our tax money, SELL the Center School.
The fact that Center School has been vacant since 2018 is disappointing. Buildings that are vacant for years are not safe. The town has been indecisive about the Center School for too long. Just sell it to a developer and move on.