When will Greenfield put a lid on our annual increasing property taxes? I doubt that it will happen with a planned new library, fire station, public safety complex, dispatch center, and all the other aging infrastructure: water, sewer, roads, and the upkeep of public buildings.
I have a plan that would fill the needs of the proposed new library project, and it would save our existing fire station from demo, and having to find a new site. It could possibly be the site for a new public safety complex in the future.
My plan to use the National Guard Army at 67 Hope St.. It is a state building and is being vacated. The building is structurally sound and is in good shape, and it has recently installed a new heating system. The building has 30,000 square feet of floor space.
As I look at its size, interior and exterior layout, and its location one block south of our existing library I know that we can meet all the needs of the proposed planned new library for a lot less money. Plus the fire station would not have to be relocated in order for the new library project to start.
The Armory building is fairly simple to make ADA compliant. The north side of the building facing the Hope Street parking lot is where I would put an enclosed ADA ramp main entry into the new library. Really close to the main entrance would be up to five handicap parking spaces. Across the street in the Hope Street parking lot the city could designate the amount of parking spaces for library use only.
The exterior brick work would be cleaned up and repaired as needed. New windows and exterior doors would be installed, the roof on the south side would allow for a large area of solar panels.
I am a life-long resident, a homeowner for 50 years, carpenter by trade, resident engineer for the state construcdtion agency, overseen in the last 12 years $280 million worth of construction.
I don’t think that we cannot afford not to look this as a way to get a ADA compliant library, and not be forced into finding a site to build a new fire station.
Mike Murphy
Greenfield