Rochester Fire Chief Scott Weigel liked what he saw in the Master Plan-type development presented by Cambridge-based architect Ted Galante during Tuesday’s public meeting of the Rochester Public Safety Facility Feasibility Study Committee.
“That’s pretty good, pretty much what we talked about on the Fire Department side,” said Weigel.
The last version seen by Rochester Chief of Police Robert Small had been different, but he, too, eagerly looked forward to digesting a print version of Tuesday’s presentation and giving Galante the feedback he requests.
Public-safety-building-specific construction costs, according to two independent estimators, said Galante, rose $40 within a week’s time from $820 per square foot to $860.
The conceptual design was divided into three categories: modifications to the existing Police Station, a new Fire Station proposed for the Fairgrounds near the Acushnet town line and a potential substation off High Street.
Hard construction costs are estimated to be $24,131,000 for a new, 28,000 square-foot fire station, $7,300,000 for a renovated, expanded police station and $8,182,040 for a substation.
Soft costs, which were not discussed, are believed by committee members to reach one third of the hard construction costs.
Achieving a conceptual design is but a baby step in what is expected to be a lengthy process that may not make it to Town Meeting floor until 2024.
Galante, who appeared live via Zoom to a hybrid meeting evenly divided between remote participants and those in the Town Hall meeting room, said he will send the committee members digital and print versions aimed at developing a conceptual design reflecting conversations with respective Fire and Police personnel.
With Rochester population expected to significantly increase via east-side projects such as Steen Realty’s approved but not yet built residential/commercial development at the junction of Routes 28 and 58, services will be needed and response time to emergencies significantly shortened. A High Street substation would cut in half the current response time to the Route 28 area.
Meantime, the existing Police Station is being targeted for a makeover that would replace the existing sallyport and small meeting room with site modifications and the addition of a new, expanded sallyport and a one-story extension.
Galante plans to expand the 2,300 square-foot building to use existing attic space. Noting that the upstairs is limited by lower ceilings in some areas, he suggested only some of the space is usable for items such as the evidence office, records and armory. Washrooms and locker rooms would remain in place, but renovation of a portion of the building would attempt to capture all of the programming.
“There’s not a ton of expansion up in that area, but it makes sense to use some of that attic space,” he said.
Expansion would result in 5,400 square feet of new building area. The reconstruction would bring about an expanded bay and processing, booking, holding and cells all in one, secured area. Administrative offices and interrogation would be adjacent. Revisions would include an IT room and placeholders for different existing elements.
Work would also be done to get the HVAC equipment off the ground.
The proposed ground floor of the new Fire Station combines a 118×96-foot apparatus bay attached to a 99×105-foot operations center.
On the second floor would be two sets of stairs, one earmarked for egress and another designed to operate in both directions. There would be a retreat area, bunk rooms with windows to the outside, each room using gender-nonspecific restrooms. Fitness and laundry would also be located upstairs, and the fitness room located strategically placed to avoid bringing noise into the downstairs training room.
The 80×90-foot substation is based on a 9.514 square-foot space aimed solely at function and proximity to an emerging need.
“We think they’re at a pretty good design place for feedback from the departments,” said Galante. “We’re not trying to do anything fancy here…”
Committee member Andrew Daniel suggested copying plans for the Fire Department’s exercise room in the renovated Police Station if possible. Galante agreed.
Once Small has had ample opportunity to inspect the conceptual design presented Tuesday, he will meet with Galante to offer specific feedback.
“We’ll probably have a good amount of this wrapped up in the next two to three weeks,” said Galante.
Due to problems with audio transmission of the Zoom call during comments attempted from the Town Hall meeting room, the call was switched to speaker phone. Galante asked for follow-up comments.
The next meeting of the Rochester Public Safety Facility Feasibility Study Committee has not been scheduled.
Rochester Public Safety Facility Feasibility Study Committee
By Mick Colageo