The Pepperell Building Committee invites the public to attend two public meetings scheduled to update the community about the Pepperell Public Safety Building Project.
Architects will present updated plans for the building during a virtual meeting set for Wednesday, April 6, at 7 p.m. The Building Committee also will hold an in-person public forum on Wednesday, April 20, at 7 p.m. at the Albert Harris Center, 37 Nashua Road.
Both meetings will feature presentations from the project manager and architect.
The police and fire departments and Patriot Regional Emergency Communications Center work out of facilities that have been identified as having numerous structural and functional deficiencies. Pepperell Police and Patriot RECC are headquartered at the former Shattuck School, which was built in 1895.
The Pepperell Building Committee began its work in early 2021 to determine the town’s best path forward. In June 2021, Town Meeting authorized a free-cash expenditure of $180,000 to hire an Owner’s Project Manager.
Vertex, the project manager, and Tecton Architects considered several sites and weighed numerous renovation and construction options. Based on that information, the Building Committee selected a parcel on Jersey Street next to a fire substation as the most viable site for a shared facility.
Tecton and Vertex representatives will present updates on the project during the April 6 virtual meeting, including an explanation of changes from earlier public sessions, new schematics, and an overview of current market conditions.
Residents interested in attending the April 6 virtual meeting can do so by clicking here.
Tecton representatives and the Building Committee hope to present a cost estimate during the April 20 meeting.
“Public input has been extremely important to guiding the Building Committee’s work,” Chairman Catherine Lundeen said. “We invite the public to attend these meetings to hear more about the project’s progress, and receive answers to any questions they may have.”
The Building Committee intends to request voters approve spending for the next phase of the project — schematic design — at this year’s Annual Town Meeting. Town Meeting begins on Monday, May 9, at 7 p.m. at Nissitissit Middle School.
Residents interested in updates about this effort may follow Pepperellproject.com. Visitors are encouraged to subscribe via email to receive notifications for new posts. Visitors also will be able to email the Committee directly through the site.