General Project Background:
Embedded Files
The Town of North Andover Senior Center is currently located in Downtown North Andover at 120 Rear Main Street, which is directly behind Town Hall. It is a two story building comprised of roughly 7,800 square feet. The ground floor contains several meeting rooms, offices and storage spaces, as well as a kitchen and living room. The upper floor contains two offices.
As the population of seniors in North Andover has grown over the last decade, it has become increasingly important for the Town to focus on ways to best serve this population. At the time the Facilities Master Plan was completed in 2012, the space programming needs for a new Senior Center were determined to be 17,000 square feet, and a project was proposed for an addition on the current building.
Recent Updates and Next Steps:
In January 2020, the Town advertised an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the construction of the Senior Center. Around this time, the Town also began and completed due diligence on the site, including an appraisal of the parcel that will be used for parking, a title search, and environmental review.
In February 2020 the Town held a pre-bid conference to allow for pre-qualified general contractors and sub-contractors to ask questions of the Town’s project management team. On February 27, the Town opened general contractor bids. Of the four (4) bids received, the lowest base bid was from Castagna Construction of Danvers, MA: $7,577,000. Additional elements for the construction of the building brought the total bid to $7,907,462.
Annual Town Meeting in June 2020 approved an additional appropriation of $3,000,000 for construction of the project and $550,000 to purchase an adjoining lot (approximately .55 acres) that will accommodate the parking area.
In July 2021 the Town completed the acquisition of two parcels - one purchased and one donated - from MINCO, which gave the Town site control and allows it to move forward with the project.
The project is expected to begin in Summer of 2021 and is scheduled to be completed within 14 months from the start of construction.
Project Timeline:
May 2012: Facility Master Plan
May 2017: Town Meeting votes to allocate $0.5M to the planning and architectural services for a new Senior Center
May 2018: Town Meeting votes to appropriate $5,500,000 for construction and to accept a donation of land (57,300 SF) from the property owner.
May 2019: Town Meeting votes to appropriate $0.75M to cover additional costs related to higher than anticipated construction costs.
September 2019: Planning Board votes to approve Site Plan Review and Modification of Parking Standards
January 2020: Invitation for Bids advertised
February 2020: Pre-bid conference held
February 27, 2020: General bids due and opened by Town (low bid: Castagna Construction: $7,907,462) - Town subsequently entered into contract with Castagna
June 2020: Town Meeting approves appropriation of additional funds for Senior Center
July 2021: Town completes acquisition of parcels of land that will house the future Senior Center from MINCO
October 2021: Demolition of on-site structures has begun; view the Construction Updates page of this website to track progress on construction of the building
Past Town Meeting Votes, Appropriations, and Project Approvals:
In May 2017 ,Town Meeting voted to allocate $500,000 to planning and architectural services for a new Senior Center. In May 2018, Town Meeting voted to accept a donation of land from property owner MINCO Corp., located on Sutton Street, consisting of 57,300 square feet and to appropriate $5,500,000 to fund construction of the project at the new Sutton Street location. In May 2019, Town Meeting voted to allocate $750,000 to cover additional costs related to higher than anticipated construction costs. The Sutton Street site was deemed attractive to host the Senior Center due to its location near major roads, the downtown area, commercial corridors, and within walking distance to a public park. The site is formerly that of the Knights of Columbus building, which is slated to be demolished. At May 2020 Town Meeting, the Town approved appropriation of additional funding for the project for both construction and to purchase an adjoining lot for parking of approximately .55 acres.
In September 2019, the Planning Board approved a site plan review special permit to allow for the construction of a two story, 13,550 square foot Senior Center with associated amenities and a separate lot for satellite parking. The proposed building includes a multi-purpose room, kitchen, cafe/lounge area, office space, fitness room, game room, three activity rooms, as well as an outdoor patio area. The plan accounts for 81 surface parking spaces, includes a common driveway on Sutton Street and a right turn only exit driveway to Surrey Drive. The parking and the exit driveway is only possible with the acquisition of the additional parcel.
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