The City Council approved bonds for three major capital projects that will dramatically enhance the downtown area, improve chronic traffic congestion and issues, and bring its police and fire facilities into the 21st century.
The council unanimously approved Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt’s request for $1.15 million for feasibility and design for the proposed public safety building project for feasibility and design; $650,00 for the Endicott Street bridge repair project and $1 million for the easements and design for the FTIP (Federal Transportation Improvement Program) Central Street improvement project.
“This is great, progressive work that gets the city to where it needs to be and gets us to a new level of infrastructure,” Councilor-at-Large Tom Gould said. “Thank you and I can’t applaud you [the mayor] more.”
“I want to commend you [Bettencourt] for taking a look at these issues that are long overdue,” Councilor-at-Large Anne Manning-Martin said at the council meeting.
Prior to his presentation to the Finance Committee, Bettencourt withdrew a bond request for demolition of the Kiley School and the Berry Street DPW facility.
“I was premature in bringing that item forward and would like to hold that,” Bettencourt said. “The School Committee and I need to further discuss that and vet some of the items that have been discussed.”
Bettencourt provided an overview of the remaining three projects at the Finance Committee that preceded the council meeting. He said the city has hired Construction Management Services as the OPM (owner’s project manager). He estimated the total cost of the project at $50 million, adding that the bond will “get us to 25 percent design and will allow us to hash out the needs for the building, for the space and, of course, the costs.”
Bettencourt said the $1.15 million represents a little more than one-third of the soft costs of the project, which have been estimated at about 7 percent of the total cost. The building will house a “full” police department, fire department headquarters and an emergency management center.
“We think we can consolidate and coordinate our emergency services,” said Bettencourt.
The new facility will be located next to the existing police station on the Higgins Middle School property in the parking lot adjacent to the James Rice Memorial Fields. The existing police station will be torn down upon completion of the new building with new parking and storage space added.
“I really think that the location is the right one to be at,” Bettencourt said, adding that this is an “exciting and necessary” project.
“The building is more than 50 years old and we are spending a considerable amount on upkeep,” Bettencourt said. “It’s gotten to the point where we believe this is an appropriate step to take to have a real modern public safety facility.”
Councilor-at-Large Jon Turco asked if there was any consideration given to adding another firehouse.
Bettencourt said he doesn’t think a final decision has been made, but he does have concerns about being so close with the “school being active.” He said he expects the next round of capital projects will include funding for improvements at existing fire stations.
Bettencourt then discussed the Endicott Street bridge repair project. He said the city has received two grants totaling $600,000 toward the $1.2 million project and he is hoping to post the bid request during the week of Jan. 29 with bids opening by Feb. 28. The finish date is expected to be around Nov. 1, 2023. While the street will be closed for a significant period of time during construction, Bettencourt said the work is “necessary and required by the state.
Ward 3 Councilor Stephanie Peach drives through Endicott Street regularly. She is not looking forward to having the street closed but appreciates Bettencourt “for being proactive on the Endicott project.”
Bettencourt described the Central Street project as “long discussed” and “exciting.”
A “critical” part of the project is an easement review, which is “required by the federal government.” He said that the project, which runs from Wilson Square to Bill and Bob’s Roast Beef, will be taking “slivers” of property and that, by law, property owners must be compensated in the case of both temporary and permanent easements.
The project includes new crosswalks and sidewalks, new trees, lighting and bump outs.
“This is a complete redesign, reconfiguration of that whole corridor, which is among the most dangerous sections in the city,” Bettencourt said. “It’s going to have a dramatic effect and make that a much safer area for tens of thousands of our Peabody residents. Everybody knows how busy that stretch is and it’s really fallen on hard times.”
Bids will be posted and awarded in late 2023 with most of the “heavy work” beginning in spring 2024.
Bettencourt said the project was first estimated to be $11 million “a couple of years ago” but now the project is expected to cost $17 million. He described the increase as “incredible escalation.”
Ward 6 Councilor Mark O’Neill also praised the mayor for being proactive.
