Windham Elementary School Re-Purpose Study

PREPARED FOR:

TOWN OF WINDHAM

Stevens & Associates, p.c.

95 Main Street, Brattleboro, Vermont

3^rd Meeting Agenda

1. Project Understanding and Approach

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• Population & Demographics

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• Review Existing Building Conditions

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4. Information Gathering – Public Engagement

5. Alternates w/ Rough Order of Magnitude Costs – (Broad Brush w/assumptions, accuracy -50% to +75% .

Stevens & Associates, p.c.

95 Main Street, Brattleboro, Vermont

PROJECT UNDERSTANDING & APPROACH

1. Town of Windham hired Stevens Associates to perform a feasibility study with rough order of magnitude (ROM) costs as to future options for possible uses for the Windham Elementary School Building.  

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2. The school building may be offered to the town of Windham for $1. This sum is separate from any real estate fees, closing costs, title documents and other costs to the town associated with the acquisition of this piece of real estate. Windham will retain Stevens and Associates to assist in a feasibility study to examine the options.

3. The team will rely on the Facility Condition Assessment prepared for the Vermont Agency of Education -FCA Phase Two last summer. 

4. There will be two information gathering meetings.

5. A third meting will take place to discuss the findings. The intent is to have the necessary information and ROM costs of options so that the Selectboard can determine whether it is in the highest and best interests of the town to acquire this building.  Costs including deferred maintenance will be taken directly from the Facility Condition Report report and prioritized reuses of the building will be given a ROM ranking with a consideration of low, moderate and high for their undertaking. 

6. The study will be completed in February 2025, so that the Selectboard and the Town will have this information before Town Meeting on Tuesday, March 4.   

7. This feasibility study is being funded by a grant received from Vermont Council on Rural Development, revising an earlier proposal for the Municipal Technical Assistance Program.

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Stevens & Associates, p.c.

95 Main Street, Brattleboro, Vermont

POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS ( 2023)

HOUSING & HOUSHOLDS

7

14

15

Current Student Population 79

Total 5 yr Projection K-5 = 169 Students

WATER , SEPTIC & SEWER

Current Capacity – 44

NOTE: A Permit Discovery Effort will be needed and is beyond the scope of this study:

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ACT 250 ( have? Or not?)

WW Permit

Storm Discharge Permit

Wetlands Permit

Water System Permit to Operate

Others ..

FACILITY CONDITION ASSESSMENT

PROPERTY OVERVIEW

AND ASSESSMENT DETAILS

FACILITY CONDITION INDEX (FCI)

Townshend Elementary

NewBrook

Jamaica Village School

Windham Elementary

ADA

ACCESSIBILITY

ISSUES

IDEA GATHERING WORKSHEET

1. What does Windham need that this school building/property could provide?

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• What would you like to see this building become?

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• I would go to the Elementary School if it was a ________ or if it offered ______________.

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• Other Thoughts and ideas.

IDEA GATHERING WORKSHEETS

What does Windham need that this building/property could supply?

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• Senior Housing
• Primary Health Care Satellite
• Overflow space for Town Offices /Organizations
• Visitor Center/Nature Center
• Monthly meal
• Monthly potluck
• Weekly meal
• Center for town services
• Story hour
• Evacuation center – generator
• Dances/music
• Childcare/daycare
• Classes of all kinds
• Healthcare/RX management
• Some kind of school/last operating entity
• Weekly marketplace – vendors regular
• Computer skills adult ed
• Primary healthcare/PA office/clinic
• Trials center
• Connect to trails/outdoor space
• Coworking space
• Concept of a school has intrinsic value
• Emergency center showers
• School concept has always been a part of Windham
• General Store
• Outdoor sports using fields
• A place for people to gather
• Provide a Sense of Community
• Recreation
• Technology Teaching
• Adult education
• Childcare sharing
• Town office overflow/offices
• Homeschool pod

What would you like to see this building become?

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• Rec center
• Nature center of trails
• After school/senior combo
• Keeping this! Keeps Windham vibrant
• Senior center
• Monthly play day at school
• Mixed use/mixed ages
• Foster sense of community
• Develop townspeople sense of ownership
• Educational resource
• Daycare owned by town (licensed daycare)
• Place of connection
• Summer program
• Senior center with shared uses (old/young)
• Sense of “ownership” of the space
• Tool “library”
• All generation center
• Sports – indoors in winter
• Volunteer – vun “C of C”
• Open long hours + oftenPlace for children after school
• Trails nature center
• Kids play space + congregate
• Indoor home to historic society – dances, yoga, Tai Chi, Zumba
• Adult Day Care Center
• New Fire Station

I would go to the elementary school if it was:

A

mmunity center

Community Center

Education Hub

Daycare

Meals

Healthcare assistance

Pre/post education

 Gathering place

 All ages

 Musician’s center gathering

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Other thoughts –

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• Playground fields – playground kids could enjoy
• Club use
• Central locus info + activity
• Childcare center
• Scouts improvement sleepover
• Continuing education center – since 1790’s
• Town organization looking for space
• Music lessons
• Historic society here
• Family reunion rentals
• Coordinate with Meadow Bee Farms – build bridges
• Community garden
• Hang out space
• Senior center
• Septic development
• Windham central needs
• Frisbee, golf – outdoor recreation
• More options for outdoor rec
• Windham’s isolation will go down with a school/education
• Balance between MH + this building
• School co-op
• Must be consistent to build use over time
• Could community make money for what?
• Grants for specific uses?
• Concern – what is condition (deferred maintenance)
• Money concerns/building maintenance
• Information dispensary
• Some advantages for certain uses vs others
• Having “full-time” operation
• Demographics – more older oak, more younger acorn
• Momentum to overcome isolation
• Community engagement + volunteering to improve the building
• Town office overflow meeting

• BRINGS PEOPLE TO GATHER IN A MULTI-GENERATIONAL WAY
• A PLACE TO SOCIALIZE
• A PLACE TO PROMOTE LOCAL CULTURE & PRESERVE THE TOWN’S HISTORY
• THE SCHOOL HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF WINDHAM
• CONCEPT OF A SCHOOL HAS INTRISIC VALUE
• A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GATHER
• FOSTERS A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
• KEEPS WINDHAM VIBRANT
• SCHOOL BUILDING AND GROUNDS ARE A VALUABLE ASSET TO THE COMMUNITY
• PROGRAMS SHOULD NOT COMPETE WITH MEETING HOUSE
• PROGRAMS COULD BE A SOURCE OF INCOME REVENUE

SHARED PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES

EDUCATIONAL HUB – From Acorn to Oak

• Historic Society
• Resource for Home Schooling
• Childcare Sharing
• Licensed Day-Care Pre-School
• Adult Continuing Education Classes – All Skills
• Adult Day Center
• Art Classes
• Music Classes
• Seminars and Workshops

VISITOR/WELCOME CENTER

• Tourist/Travel Information Lobby
• Refreshments/Café
• Local Attractions and Displays

NATURE CENTER

• Visitor Center
• Connect to Trails
• Maps
• Outdoor Space
• Summer Camps
• Boys and Girls Scouts
• Coordinate with Meadow Bee Farms

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HOUSING

• Senior

HEALTH CARE

• Primary Health Care Center
• Visiting Nurse
• PA Office

TOWN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

• Overflow Offices
• Record Storage
• Provide Fiber Optic Internet
• Selectboard/Committee Meeting Space

EMERGENCY EVACUATION CENTER

• Generator
• Food Prep and Storage
• Bathrooms/Showers
• Heat
• Temporary Shelter

NEW FIRE STATION

• New 2 Bay Fire Station
• Salt and Sand Sheds
• Use Existing School for Fire Training/Equipment

RECREATIONAL CENTER – Acorn to Oak

• Indoor Heated Pool – (Showers-Lockers)
• Fitness Center – Exercise Equipment – Yoga – Tia Chi, Zumba
• Host Indoor Team Sports – Basketball, Pickleball, Volleyball, Badminton
• Host Outdoor Team Sports – Summer/Fall Soccer, Pickleball, Basketball, Field Hockey, Frisbee, Golf, Track, etc.
• Winter Sports - Cross County skiing, Snowshoeing, Tubing
• Outdoor Playground
• Open Fields
• Venue Space for Family Reunions, Clubs and Organizations

INDEPENDENT SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT SPACE

• Vendors / Market Place
• Co-working space
• Hot Desks
• Internet Access
• Café

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COMMUNITY EVENTS/GATHERINGS

• Community Gardens
• Outdoor Events 4^th of July, Memorial and Labor Day
• Regularly Hosted Meals / Potlucks
• Dances
• Music
• Slide Shows
• Food/Clothing Swaps
• Fix-it days
• Tool Swaps

$$ Lowest Cost Projects:

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• Use the existing building footprint
• No increase on demand of water and sewer capacity.
• Minor modifications to the interiors.
• Minor changes to site, parking, fields.

EDUCATIONAL HUB

Alt 3. HEALTH CARE

RECREATIONAL CENTER – No POOL- As is

Alt 1. NATURE CENTER – Min. changes to site

Alt 2. VISITOR/WELCOME CENTER

COMMUNITY EVENTS/GATHERINGS

ROM

Immediate Needs $148,000 x 3 = $444,000

Range $444,000 – $650,000

Town Offices

ED HUB/ REC-CENTER

(w/HISTORIC Society )

$$$ Moderate Cost Projects:

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• One story addition to building.
• Potential increase on water and sewer capacity.
• Modest reconfiguration of interiors.
• Modest changes to site/parking/fields

TOWN ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

– with new Vault

Base: EMERGENCY EVACUATION CENTER

– added showers

Alt1. INDEPENDENT SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT SPACE

RECREATIONAL CENTER – No POOL- As is

COMMUNITY EVENTS/GATHERINGS

Historic Society

ROM

Immediate Needs $148,000 x 3 = $444,000

Does not include Site Costs/Permits/A & E etc

Range $550,000 – $800,000

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Town offices

Recreation – Multi-Purpose

Community Events

$$$$ Major Cost Projects:

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• Adding a New building
• Adding an Addition
• Adding a Second Story
• Increase the demand on the water and sewer capacity.
• Modest/major reconfiguration of interiors.
• Extensive site work/parking lots/fields

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Alt 1. SENIOR HOUSING – Second Story

Alt 2. NEW FIRE STATION ( w/ existing building) New Salt/Sand Sheds

Alt 3. RECREATIONAL CENTER – Addition Indoor Pool

ROM Each Alt

4,000 sf x $450-$600 sf = 1,800,000 -$2,400,000 plus

Does not include Costs for Immediate Needs / Site Costs/Permits/A & E etc

Base: Emergency Evacuation Center w/showers

Alt Fire Station

NEXT STEPS – Things to Consider ��Consider a Phased Approach; Immediate - Short – Mid – Long Term Master Plan ��Narrow Down Alternates; Continue Public Engagement��Explore Grant Strategies ��Engage Civil Engineer/Architect to take a more comprehensive look at preferred schemes, program needs, land, site, water/wastewater, and other land permitting implications. ��Have Building/Soils tested for hazardous materials. ���OTHERS… ���END