Bellevue Storage Facility More Expensive Than Anticipated
ADAMS, Mass. — The Cemetery Commission finally received cost estimates for a possible storage facility at Bellevue Cemetery. But all estimates are higher than anticipated.
Interim Town Administrator Donna Cesan met with the commission Thursday with the EDM Architects report in hand that outlined three possible building scenarios. All options all were well over the $100,000 former Town Administrator Tony Mazzucco said it would cost.
"Oh my god," Commissioner Fred Hobart said after hearing the estimates.
Currently, there is an old concrete-block garage used to store cemetery equipment and a shed that is on the verge of collapsing. With the absence of this shed, the department does not have enough space to store equipment.
Cesan said the first option would be to just make repairs to the current structure and bring it up to code. That is estimated to cost between $137,000 and $200,000.
The second option includes repair work and the addition of a prefabricated shed, which is estimated to cost between $322,000 and $430,000.
The last and most expensive option is to demolish the garage and build new. EDM estimates that will cost between $520,000 and $650,000.
"No. 1, Tony led us to believe that we were talking about $100,000 here," Commissioner Bruce Shepley said. "This is a little different."
Cesan said the probable costs can fluctuate depending on what the town can do in-house.
"These are general amounts and they are conservative," she said. "We haven't even begun to look at what our own staff can do. They can mobilize and do a lot of demo work and that really does provide a significant cost savings."
Cesan recommended that the commission review the report and make some decisions next meeting. She added that an EDM representative can attend the next meeting to answer questions.
The commission agreed.
"We go back we look this over and tear it apart and come with our questions," Shepley said. "I would be in favor of having someone at our next meeting especially with this kind of money."
The money would come from the cemetery fund and would need the commission's blessing before going to town meeting.
Tags: bellevue cemetery, cemetery commission,
