The Marblehead Select Board voted unanimously in support of a renovation project at the Council on Aging center.
COA Executive Director Lisa Hooper approached the board, along with architect Walter Jacobs, to explain the details of the renovations.
“We’ve spent the last year coming up with this really nice design of taking the lounge library that’s already in the building and making it one room,” Hooper said. “Taking down the sunroom, but in the same footprint having it be one room that’s more of a diner-type cafe.”
She believes it is time for the sunroom to be replaced.
“It’s kind of like something 25 years ago you would buy from Home Depot,” Hooper said. “It’s not heated, it’s not air-conditioned, so it’s just really space that is unutilized.”
Hooper explained that this plan has existed since 2018, however, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented it from being realized until now. She said the renovations will provide the center’s attendees with opportunities for more social interaction.
“We have several support groups that we can have out there,” Hooper said. “We also have other programs like our knitters… It would give us the opportunity to have a bigger area to serve our participants.”
The new room will have a cafe capable of serving refreshments through a new service station, complementing the center’s commercial kitchen that was built in 2020.
“The cafe would be used a couple of times a week, maybe for soup and sandwiches, or somebody on the go that doesn’t want to sit down for an hour and a half,” Hooper said.
The update will include a new 1-foot bump-out for additional seating. Jacobs provided more details about the cafe’s inspiration.
“We designed this to take cues from a diner,” Jacobs said. “We didn’t want to be too tongue-in-cheek, so it’s not metal with curves, but it’s got a couple curves and a couple lines, so it feels a little bit like a diner.”
The project has been financed by the Friends of the Marblehead Council on Aging, as well as the National Grand Bank’s Shattuck Fund. Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer said that with the funding secured, there is no reason to delay the project further.
“Normally for projects, it would run through our Capital Improvement Plan for improvement to our facilities,” Kezer said. “Given the funding source is not through taxpayer sources but through the fundraising they’ve done, it made no sense to run it through that program to move this project forward.”
Hooper hopes construction can start as early as this coming spring.
The board also appointed a new member to fill a vacancy on the Finance Committee on Wednesday. After interviewing three candidates, the board voted unanimously to appoint Lindsay Dube.
The lifelong Marblehead resident graduated from Salem State University with a degree in finance. She currently works at Eagle Bank as senior vice president of the commercial credit division. She told the board that she has experience working with municipalities and wants to help the town with challenges such as its deficit.
“I think it made sense at this time for me to volunteer and step up,” Dube said.
Dube’s term will expire in 2026.
