Community members speak against 51 State St. demo
BELCHERTOWN – Residents and community members spoke against the demolition of 51 State St. at the Selectboard’s meeting last week. In the beginning of October, the Selectboard voted to demolish 51 State St. and turn it back into lawn using American Rescue Plan Act funds in a four-to-one vote.
The DPW tentatively scheduled the demolition of the building for the beginning of December.
During the town manager’s report, Selectboard Chair Ed Boscher allowed for members of the public to speak to the matter and said that the board could not discuss the matter as it was not on the meeting’s agenda, so a discussion would violate the Massachusetts Open Meeting law.
Natasha Martin, chair of the Belchertown Family Center Committee, said she didn’t feel like the group had an opportunity to be heard about the destruction of the building.
“You’ve left us without a home, and I think the community is devastated by this,” she said. “We don’t have a place to run programs…We are clearly needed in this community, and we’re at a loss for how to continue.”
The Family Center Committee submitted a formal proposal to the board requesting funding the $250,000 for the roof and HVAC system, using $50,000 in ARPA funds reserved for the demolition of the building.
“Two, to continue its commitment to provide custodial services pest mitigation and management and ongoing preventative maintenance,” Martin read.
The committee also expressed interest in partnering with the Recreation Department, creating a multipurpose meeting space to be used by a variety of community partners and potential gallery.
Martin also spoke to the need from the community, referencing multiple programs like the homework help program, parent education programs and a community closet initiative.
So, the town was at a junction, Williams said, with no funding source and roughly half $1 million worth of repairs.
In late September, Williams brought a quote for the repairs to the board.
Williams provided information on the estimated $485,000 in building repairs which included the following:
$150,000 for roof replacement
$50,000 for a boiler replacement
$90,000 for bathroom renovations
$45,000 for HVAC repairs
$100,000 for window and
door replacement
$35,000 for exterior siding
$15,000 for flooring repairs
He said his concern is that once the work begins on the building, all the projects will need to be done.
A new building on the other hand, would cost the town about $1.4 million. Demolition was quoted at about $50,000.
Resident Sean Donovan said he didn’t agree with the cost estimates provided to the board.
“What was proposed instead of fixing the roof and the basics, was a whole list of siding, new doors, a bunch of stuff that added up to $450,000,” he said. “This is a really valuable community resource. I know that building can be fixed for less than $500,000, that number is astronomical. The playgroups are a lifesaver for parents in this community.”
He added that the public should be more notified and be able to ask questions before the demolition process proceeds forward.
Resident Katie Ruell said the board needed to think about the future of the town.
“The goal of the family center is to bring services, programs, and education to families that are under privileged and underserved,” she said. “We have been advocating to get this space up and running…I feel like the board in the town hasn’t been transparent when it comes to the plans for this building. I understand it’s a town building, but there has been no other place that’s been offered to us.”
Resident Jennifer Whitehead spoke about how the family center has been “pushed around” from building to building.
“We don’t have any space for all these things we already own that belong to us. We don’t know what’s going to happen to us and now you’re telling us we have two weeks to figure out what to do,” Whitehead said.
She questioned what the town was offering to families with young children.
“I’ve been involved with the family center since it started… All of a sudden we have nothing after 25 years,” she said. “It doesn’t feel right. It’s not fair to the youth of our town or to the parents and grandparents of our town.”
In the meeting, Selectboard member Jennifer Turner said she wanted to say she was opposed to the demolition vote.
“Rightly, we don’t have a plan and we did have a vote. I voted against demoing 51 State St., and I am still in favor of saving the building,” she said.
