Archive 2008 - 2019

Town Hall Renovation Committee

by Jon Juhl
2/5/2012

The Holliston Town Hall Renovation Committee announced that the Town of Holliston will be putting the Holliston Town Hall Exterior project out to bid on Wednesday, February 8th.  The Committee has been working with Town Officials and the Holliston Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for the past year on the plans and specifications for the exterior repair work to the Holliston Town Hall which is located at 703 Washington Street.

The Town Hall, which was built in 1852 and had its interior renovated in 2002-2003, has experienced a significant amount of deterioration to its exterior in recent years. In 2008, the Town hired the Building Conservation Associates (BCA) of Dedham to undertake a study to determine why the building was experiencing chronic paint failure. The BCA report concluded that the accumulated build-up of paint layers since the original construction back in 1852 in combination with a possible internal moisture condition were the likely causes for the premature paint failure. The source of the moisture was eliminated in the interior renovation in 2002-2003.The BCA report recommended the complete removal of the entire accumulation of paint layers down to the wood surface on portions of the building up to the auditorium level windows prior to any repainting.  The current plans and specifications call for over 40% of the building’s clapboard to be replaced as a result of extensive wood rot, with the balance being stripped and restored.

In the Spring of 2011, Town Meeting approved a total of $735,000 for the restoration of the Town Hall’s exterior, with $695,000 being provided by the Holliston Community Preservation Committee and $40,000 provided by the Town.  In the late Spring of 2011, the Town Hall Renovation Committee hired Gienapp Design Associates, LLC of Danvers to undertake the creation of plans and specifications for the restoration of the Town Hall Exterior.

The Committee and its liason Town Administrator Paul LeBeau have been working with Dale Gienapp, prinicipal of Gienapp Design Associates, LLC since the Summer of 2011. The preliminary plans and specifications  prepared by Gienapp Design Associates, LLC were submitted and approved by the Massachusetts Historical Commission, with input from the Holliston Historical Commission in December of 2011. Final plans and specifications were completed in January, with the Town of Holliston anticipating advertising for bids on Wednesday, February 8th.

There will be a pre-bid conference held on Wednesday, February 22nd at 11AM in the Board of Selectmen’s Meeting Room at the Town Hall. Subcontractor file-bids are due on Wednesday, February 29th, with General Contractor bids due on Wednesday, March 14th.  Work is anticipated to commence in May of 2012 with work completed by November of 2012.