Swampscott Town Hall renovations slated for completion next month

SWAMPSCOTT – Town officials expect Town Hall renovations to be complete sometime next month.Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said the renovation project was initially slated for completion in January.”We allowed a couple of no-cost extensions during the renovation process,” he said. “We’ll continue to occupy the temple until renovations are complete and then we’ll move back into Town Hall.”Town Hall, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1899 for the co-founder of General Electric, Elihu Thomson. It was sold to the town in 1944 and has been used as a town hall since that time, but very few modifications were made when the building underwent the transition from a private residence to a municipal building.In early June 2007, offices that were located in Town Hall moved to the former Temple Israel property, 837 Humphrey St., so the renovation project could get underway.Maylor said the renovation project includes new central heating and air conditioning systems, updated electrical systems and fire suppression systems.When the project is complete, the entire facility will be handicapped accessible. Maylor said the connector wing would be equipped with a handicapped accessible elevator and handicapped accessible bathrooms would be located on all three levels.Maylor said once the renovations are complete, approximately two-thirds of the third floor, which has only been used for storage for years, would be utilized as office space.Maylor said employees are excited about moving back into Town Hall when the project is complete.During the renovation process, Selectmen have been meeting in the public library instead of their usual meeting room in Town Hall and Board of Selectmen Chairman Adam Forman said he is looking forward to getting back to Town Hall.”Like Town Hall employees, I’m looking forward to getting back into Town Hall,” he said. “I think it will look really great and it will be more functional. We’ll have additional space and the building will be more functional. It will have modern utilities, be handicapped accessible and it’ll be great to have all Town Hall employees in one centralized location.”