LYNNFIELD — The Town of Lynnfield, in conjunction with the Lynnfield Public Safety Building Committee, is pleased to announce the launch of a new website that will provide the latest news and information about the proposed new construction and additions to four key facilities in town.
Last summer, the town completed a feasibility study that reviewed existing conditions, defined needs and charted a path forward for renovating or replacing both police and fire headquarters, as well as the south fire station and making accessibility improvements at Town Hall. Throughout the Fall and winter, the Public Safety Building Committee has reviewed this study in great detail, conducted updated cost estimates, looked at phasing, constructability and budget and created a plan to bring these projects forward.
The next step in the project is the design process, for which the Committee will ask Town Meeting to approve design funding totaling approximately $3.85 million on Monday, May 16 beginning at 7 p.m.
Lynnfieldbuildingprojects.com serves as a resource for community members to learn more about the projects ahead of Town Meeting next month, and on a continuing basis while the projects are ongoing. If approved, the design will start immediately with the goal of bidding the first phase of the project and breaking ground on construction at the South Station site in the fall of 2023.
The preliminary cost estimate for the projects is $41.25 million. However, if approved, the projects are expected to have little to no net impact on residents’ tax bills because funding of the debt service for these projects would begin just as debt service concludes on the $67 million school project and Reedy Meadow Golf Course purchase. The debt service on those projects began between 2001 and 2004.
“The site serves as a go-to resource for residents to stay informed about the work that we’ve done so far, and what lies ahead as we evaluate and work to meet the needs of our public safety personnel and our community as a whole,” said Town Administrator Robert Dolan.
“The Building Committee has worked diligently to identify the needs at our public safety facilities and Town Hall,” Select Board Chairman Phil Crawford said. “I encourage residents to utilize this new resource so they can familiarize themselves with the work that’s been done so far, and develop an understanding of what the next phases of these projects will look like, if approved.”
The new site, which is accessible on desktop and mobile devices, features a modern and user-friendly design, which provides several key pieces of information including:
- Important documents regarding the public safety buildings, and the Committee’s official report
- Photo galleries and videos showing current conditions in each facility
- A news blog
- Information about the expected timelines and cost of the projects
- Full-length videos that provide an inside look at the existing facilities, as well as an in-depth discussion of their deficiencies and needed improvements
For more information about the Lynnfield Public Safety Building Projects, residents are encouraged to visit the site https://lynnfieldbuildingprojects.com/