Demolition of former Berkley Town Hall to begin soon

Demolition is slated to begin soon on Berkleys condemned Town Hall building.

A large portion of the building, which was constructed in 1926 as an elementary school, was condemned in late 2010 over concerns related to its structural integrity.

Workers will begin to completely fence off the site on Saturday in preparation to take down the building. Removal of hazardous materials, such as asbestos, is expected to begin Nov. 4 with full demolition to follow, town Executive Secretary Paul Modlowski said.

Earlier this month, selectmen finalized a $151,000 contract with J.R. Vinagro Corp. for demolition of the former town office building.

Town officials, Modlowski said, expect to meet Monday with the contractor and project manager to discuss the upcoming demolition.

After the demolition is complete, plans call for a new 9,800-square-foot Town Hall to be built on the site. The new building would be a single-story structure that would host the Council on Aging as well as town offices.

We will advertise for a general contractor for the entire new building, Modlowski said. Were trying to get that done, hopefully, by the end of December.

Architectural plans, he said, are nearing 90 percent completion. Chicago-based Johnson Roberts Associates is creating the designs.

Voters last November authorized the town to issue up to $3.5 million in municipal bonds to fund the Town Hall project. The budget for the new construction alone is $2.6 million.

Town officials have said they hope to open the new Town Hall in 2015.

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Demolition of former Berkley Town Hall to begin soon