'More workable.' Chatham has said no to a new senior center. Now upgrade of old possible.

After several failed attempts to win support for a new Center for Active Living , the Chatham Select Boar d is considering instead a facelift for the current facility.

"Whether there will be a new building somewhere else in town, some magical place that's going to emerge where we can put a building or not, we have an obligation to make sure that in the intermediate period, we fix the problems that are in the building and we make it more welcoming and more useful and more workable," said member Dean P. Nicastro .

On Tuesday, the Select Board and the Council on Aging Board of Directors heard a presentation from Yarmouth's Catalyst Architecture and Interiors on several design options from draft feasibility study findings to renovate the Center for Active Living at 193 Stony Hill Road.

Fixes to building: $1M to $7.5M

The first plan, which consists of core maintenance items and structural improvements, such as an update to the elevator and accessibility overhauls, comes with a $1,055,200 price tag. A second "green" option with high-priority items that Kurt Rayber of Catalyst Architecture and Interiors said "would really make the existing building work better" costs $2.3 million. Those extra features include a welcome lobby and a rebuilt accessible ramp to the rear deck.

Another, deemed the "blue" option, would include those core and high priority items plus lower-priority items, such as an administrative office area renovation, and would cost $3.6 million.

The most expensive design - "yellow" plan - encompasses the core items plus high- and low-priority items and a senior day program addition and would cost $7.5 million.

The costs are based on total project preliminary estimates with 10% project contingency.

'Put together a financial plan'

Nicastro said he supported the core maintenance costs as "fundamental" and "should be done tomorrow." He also said he could support the second $2.4 million plan and could consider the $3.7 million plan, but would not support a plan any higher than that.

Town Manager Jill Goldsmith said that the town should try to see if the $3,680,500 "blue" plan with core and high- and low- priority items is feasible by looking for "other funding offsets that are already in queue or grants that we think are likely out there."

"We could put together a financial plan for the board following your direction," said Goldsmith.

According to the town, if an option requiring construction is chosen, the consultant will craft an outline specification for a professional cost estimator to determine a total project value to guide drafting a future town meeting warrant article funding request.

Catalyst Architecture and Interiors will also send a final draft feasibility report after this most recent meeting to complete the scope of services requested under the contract.

Voters reject a new building three times

In September 2023, voters at a special town meeting rejected a $10,961,961 proposal to build a new two-story Center for Active Living. It was the third time residents considered the proposal.

That new building would be located at 1610 Main St. in West Chatham, a Route 28 site donated to the town by Bill Marsh.

At town meeting, the proposals got a majority of support but never garnered two-thirds of the vote as required.

"This has been a very long conversation ... I guess in a perfect world, I wish we could do a little more, but the voters have very clearly stated their position on what their appetite is and what their appetite is not," said member Cory Metters.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com . Follow her on X @zanerazz .

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: 'More workable.' Chatham has said no to a new senior center. Now upgrade of old possible.