Forum Will Air Latest CFAL Plans

CHATHAM – Revised plans for a renovated Center for Active Living at 193 Stony Hill Rd. will be present to the select board on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

The session will include a forum hosted by the select board and council on aging board to gather public input on the proposal.

The presentation by Kurt Rayber of Catalyst Architecture/Interiors Inc. will include revised schematics and cost estimates based on feedback from previous presentations in March and June. 

According to information released in advance of the session, the total estimated project development cost is $4,665,441, with the hard construction cost at $3,831,958. The added “soft” costs cover an owner’s project manager, design and engineering services, furniture and other improvements. 

The total cost is up over the $3.6 million estimate by the architects in June. That option, chosen as most advantageous by the select board, included addressing various safety and access issues, removing obstructive columns in the basement and first floor, adding dormers to increase second floor space and reconfiguring the lobby and other interior spaces. 

Officials have been struggling for years to develop a new home for the council on aging. After a town-owned location on Middle Road was rejected by voters, land at 1610 Main St. in West Chatham was offered at no charge as a site for a new facility. Voters rejected the proposal, which included an $11 million building, three times. 

Last year, the select board decided to pursue renovating the existing Center for Active Living on Stony Hill Road after exhausting other viable sites. Originally built as apartments, the building has numerous deficiencies, including problematic spaces, access issues and structural problems. The proposed plans include adding storage space as well as a small addition at the front. The interior space would be reconfigured to mesh better with COA programs.

The revised schematics and cost estimates are posted on the town website under the Center For Active Living project page. The Jan. 7 session begins at 5:30 p.m. at the annex on George Ryder Road.