Politics & Government

Emery Grover Feasibility Study Online

The study offers a glimpse of what the senior center would look like in the Grover building, as well as maps explaining the parking situation.

With Emery Grover neighbors voicing a growing opposition to building a new senior center at the downtown location, what exactly would such a project entail? The answers lie in a feasibility report that is now online at the Town of Needham website.

Located on Highland Avenue, geographically around the half way point between the Rosemary Hill and Greene's Field sites, Emery Grover currently houses school administration offices, which would be relocated should the site be ultimately selected for a senior center.

The building is currently 1,200 sq. ft. shy of the 20,000 sq. ft. goal that Senior Center Exploratory Committee (SCEC) members would like and expansion is not an option. However, it does house attractive features such as an elevator that can be converted to an industrious size and three floors to host various programs. There is also a area within the building that has the space to be portioned into multiple rooms.

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The feasibility report created by Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype calls for exterior renovation that would include a slate roof replacement, masonry and window restoration, chimney rebuilding and structural reinforcement at the portico arches that book ended the building.

Parking has been a concern for some, with the feasibility report showing that 72 spaces would be available in the lot behind the building (which would be repaved), as well as five marked street spots on Highland Ave. and five on Oakland Ave. Bargmann also believes that 20 spaces on Pickering St. could potentially replace school parking at Grover.

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The plan for the main level of the building displays administration space, as well as program spaces of 500, 600 and 650 sq. ft, respectively, and a 900 sq. ft. game room. A lower level plan creates space for fitness and art studios. The upper level plans find a kitchen, 3,000 sq. ft. multi-purpose room and storage space. Both floors would feature men's and women's bathrooms.

Interiorly speaking, workers would complete gut and renovate every room in the building. New staircases would be installed, the kitchen would be equipped with a dumbwaiter for deliveries, structural upgrades would be made to the floor loading, and new sprinklers and fire alarms, new heating air conditioning and controls, and new electrical service, wiring and lighting would all be installed.

The total cost of renovating and converting the existing Grover site would be $8.6 million, but $2.5 million could potentially be provided by the Community Preservation Act.

SCEC committee co-chair Jim Healy, who has been vocal about his opposition to an override for any senior center project, believes that Grover could work if the cost were kept under $6 million.

"If it's less than $6 million, then it's possible without an override. Go above $6 million and I think it will be very difficult," he said at an SCEC meeting Wednesday.

The Grover feasibility study cites positives in the project as the renovation of a historical building, the close proximity to the downtown area and emergency services, and the aid that local businesses would receive due to increased traffic. But traffic is certainly considered a con, too, as an already congested area in winter months could become more bogged down. Bargmann also cites potentially unknown circumstances surrounding the renovation of an old building, an "undersized" parking lot and some hazardous material left to abate.

The entire feasibility report is available to download in PDF format at the Town's website.


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