The Permanent Building Committee on Wednesday voted to allow Town Manager Elaine Lazarus and Dave Daltorio, the town engineer/facilities director, to sign a memorandum of understanding for the Center School reuse project. This document would allow the Community Preservation Committee to release funds for the preparation of demolition and construction documents.

Chair Dan McIntyre noted that Annual Town Meeting on May 2 approved Article 20. In this article, the CPC recommended $2.4 million for the demolition of Center School’s two rear additions and the removal of hazardous materials.

He also recapped his recent Select Board presentation about the public-private partnership between the town and the Hopkinton Center for the Arts.

The latest schematic design plans shot the project cost up from $10 million to $16.8 million. In the original discussions, the town was going to contribute $6 million, while the HCA was expected to raise $4 million.

“They weren’t pleased about it,” McIntyre said about the cost. “But they did say that it’s a project that the townspeople want, so we’ve got to figure out how to pay for it.”

The project received unanimous approval at last year’s Annual Town Meeting. The hope is to transform the historic landmark into a regional destination.

The building’s ground floor would have a lobby and classroom space for the HCA. The first floor would house the Parks & Recreation Department and provide community meeting space. The Youth & Family Services Department would occupy the third floor, providing room for activities and space for meetings.

Grill: Potential grant money in works

Kelly Grill, the HCA’s executive director, told the committee and the architects from Gorman Richardson Lewis Architects (GRLA) that she is waiting to hear about two grants the HCA is hoping to get for this project.

“If we receive them, there’s a good possibility we could use a portion of them for the remediation,” she said.

The first one for $4 million in congressionally directed spending is “a little bit more flexible,” Grill explained. It would allow some of the money to go toward the removal of hazardous waste materials. Another $1 million grant potentially could be used in part for this work.

Grill asked if the demolition work could be postponed for a month until she receives an answer. The project tentatively was scheduled to go out to bid in late July or early August, with the demolition work to start in September or October.

Scott Richardson, GRLA’s president and founding principal, said there was some schedule flexibility.

Grill added that she has been working with Holly Morand in the Youth & Family Services Department on some ADA grant proposals.

Also, Grill said she spoke with Julia Chun, the town’s sustainability, economic development and equity project manager, the day before the meeting. Chun also is looking into ADA grant funding that potentially could be used for the elevator or building access.

Said Grill: “We’re trying to pick away at some of these things.”

Rising project cost an issue

For the project to commence, McIntyre said the schematic designs need to be approved. He asked if members wanted to make any “dramatic changes” to the design, given the project’s escalating price.

CPC chair Ken Weismantel noted that the CPC could not afford to allocate the additional $6.8 million for the project. He stressed the importance of reducing the cost now by trimming any unnecessary building features in a revised schematic design. The rear addition is 2,725 square feet for the three floors.

One area Weismantel proposed downsizing was the lobby. Grill pushed back.

“[As] we talk about the center being a focal point and potentially a visitor center,” Grill stressed, “that’s really the space where there’s a gathering space.”

She said most people will congregate there, waiting for events to start or for students to leave classes.

“If we don’t consider that a very active or the most active space in the building,” continued Grill, “we’re doing a major disservice to the opportunity to have that visitor center there.”

She added that discussions with Lazarus, Chun and Assistant Town Manager Lance DelPriore have focused on the town’s willingness to “bridge the gap” for funding.

Historical considerations examined

Talk then shifted to potentially cutting conference rooms and other spaces from the upper floors.

CPC vice chair Eric Sonnett said one way to save money was proposed by the Historical Commission. It approved using “something that looks like slate” for the less prominent roof shingles in order to cut costs

Daltorio noted that because the Center School is in the downtown historic district, the Historic District Commission’s opinion would take precedence regarding the use of materials.

GRLA will work on the revised schematic design “over the next few days,” according to Richardson.

The Permanent Building Committee is scheduled to meet again May 12. The main topic will be the new HVAC system for the police station.