PEPPERELL – The Pepperell Building Committee wishes to invite members of the community to a virtual information session this week, where it will provide an update on its work toward a new shared facility for the town’s police, fire and emergency communications departments.
On Thursday, Feb. 10, at 7 p.m., the committee will host an informational meeting alongside the owner’s project manager and architect that will update the community on its work since Town Meeting last spring.
To take part in the meeting, visit town.pepperell.ma.us/remote.
The group will bring attendees up to date on its efforts to conduct site selection and develop preliminary schematic designs. Additionally, it will share previews of what a new public safety facility could look like once completed.
The Building Committee began its work in early 2021 to determine the best path forward, as the police and fire departments and the Patriot Regional Emergency Communications Center continue to work out of structurally and functionally deficient facilities.
Through its work with Tecton and VERTEX, the Building Committee has identified the Jersey Street site that is currently home to a fire station as the most viable option for building a new, shared facility for Pepperell Police and Fire and Patriot RECC.
At Thursday’s session, the committee and its consultants will provide an in-depth look into its myriad considerations and the deliberative process that resulted in selecting the Jersey Street site and developing both conceptual and schematic designs.
The Shattuck School building, built in 1895 and used as the current police station and Patriot RECC headquarters, would ultimately have its future decided by the Select Board and the community once the agencies relocate to a new facility.
The project will soon enter its next phase, where schematic designs will be developed into architectural drawings. The Building Committee is working now to determine the feasibility of using American Rescue Plan Act funds for this phase in order to minimize the cost to Pepperell’s taxpayers. At Thursday’s meeting, community members will have an opportunity to learn more about what the future of the project holds.
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