Marblehead to open bids for Old Town House project

MARBLEHEAD – Town officials are one step closer to letting Precinct 1 vote at the 1727 Old Town House at 1 Market Square, where Marbleheaders have voted for more than 200 years.Town Planner Becky Curran said she is scheduled to open bids on Wednesday, Jan. 19 for the redesign of a small elevator that will make the two-story building handicapped-accessible.The work is an updating of plans the town originally considered in 2000, when designers proposed a $149,000 elevator in the building. Voters shot down a debt exclusion override to raise the balance of the money despite the fact that grant assistance was available.The project was reactivated last spring, after a state Elections Office inspector closed the building for voting purposes because it was not wheelchair-accessible. The building has two entrances, a main floor entrance that can be reached by climbing a staircase and a street level entrance to the basement.The inspector said the basement can be entered from the street but the wheelchair ramp to the basement door is too steep.Selectmen have filed an article for the May Town Warrant seeking funds to design and install an elevator in the building. Selectmen Judy Jacobi and William Woodfin have worked with Town Administrator Tony Sasso on the project.Curran said the contract will include updated costs as well as design features. State Rep. Lori Ehrlich, D-Marblehead, has told the town there could be funding available from the Massachusetts Historical Commission.