WILMINGTON, MA — The Wilmington Select Board recently received a progress report on the Town Hall/School Administration Building project from Public Buildings Superintendent George Hooper, who serves as the Building Committee’s Chairman, and the project’s OPM Dan Pallotta.
The $36.9 million, 43,000-square-foot building, to be located at the rear of the Town Common parking lot, at the bottom of the hill next to the existing Senior Center, is expected to take 18-20 months to build, with construction slated to begin on March 1, 2024, resulting in a projected opening in the late summer or early fall of 2025.
One complication with this project is the site’s proximity to the town’s popular Fun on the Fourth celebration — an issue that was not lost on the Select Board.
“My concern is the Fourth of July. I don’t see how we can have it there during the construction period,” said Selectman Kevin Caira, citing risks of injury and vandalism. “I’m more inclined to think that the Fourth of July [celebrations] may have to take a hiatus for two years or find another location.”
OPM Dan Pallotta showed some optimism in his response.
“Three of the contractors we interviewed didn’t think it was possible to have a Fourth of July celebration for one year during the construction, and [a fourth] contractor did think there was a way we could do it. We hired the one that thought there was a way,” he noted.
Town Manager Jeff Hull agreed, noting the project’s construction management company — Consigli Construction — understands the importance that town officials and residents places on its Fourth of July celebration.
“One of the things that put Consigli above the other firms was their apparent recognition of the sensitivity of this area. Not only is it the heart and soul of the town because of so many of the community events that go on there, but also its such close proximity to residential neighborhoods,” said Hull. “We want to see the Fourth of July to go forward. Whether it can go forward in its current form [during construction] will be a real challenge space-wise. We’ll work to minimize the construction’s impact on the event.”
Superintendent George Hooper agreed with Caira that a construction site next to a carnival could be viewed as an “attractive nuisance,” but Hooper did see at least one positive to having the celebration so close to the new building.
“The building should be wrapping up at the end of summer 2025,” Hooper pointed out. “This may be an opportunity to showcase this new building. Fencing will start to come down. It might not be 100% complete [by July 4], but like we did with the high school, we can start giving tours before the opening. These decisions will be made in the planning process.”
Hooper added that town officials have already begun talks with Patrick Giroux, Chairman of the Fourth of July Committee, about how construction might impact the 2024 and 2025 Fun on the Fourth events. No decisions have been made.
In response to a question from Select Board Chair Gary DePalma, Pallotta was confident there would be sufficient parking for high school students during the construction period.
Pallotta also added that residents who live on nearby streets — Powderhouse Circle, School Street, Drury Lane, and others — will receive special communication from the town, to ensure all neighbors know what to expect throughout the construction process.
While the project is “right on the button” in terms of timeline and budget thus far, Pallotta did admit he was worried about potential supply chain issues surrounding HVAC components, elevators, switch gears and other equipment. Pallotta was pleased, however, that Consigli Construction is on board as a CM-at-Risk so early in the process so that purchases can be made well in advance to combat delays.
The Town Hall/School Administration Building Committee is next scheduled to meet on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 6pm at Town Hall. The Committee will be reviewing design development for all three floors.
Below are some recent renderings of the new Town Hall/School Administration Building, including two with the Fun on the Fourth’s carnival set up:
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