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Municipal Complex
Three views of Putnam's Municipal Complex under construction last week. From the top down: The library section with its soaring roof, the Aspinock House which will be torn down to make way for the three-lane entrance/exit to the parcel, and the whole complex. Linda Lemmon photos.
Complex
project is
right on time
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — The town’s once-in-a-generation project – the Municipal Complex, is expected to be “dried in” within a month, according to the Downes Construction Company LLC superintendent.
Tom Sheard said construction of the complex is about one third of the way done and is on schedule for its opening in late summer. He said they expect to “close out” the site, remove all the scaffolding and close in the walls shortly. That drying in will allow crews to continue full bore inside during the winter.
Three staircases will grace the building — two “regular” and one at the entrance that will be a “centerpiece,” he said. An elevator will also be installed.
Town Administrator Elaine Sistare said the town approved $19.9 million for the complex and as of now, it’s “a few hundred thousand” under budget. All the underground structures and fixtures are in place. All the structural steel is done. Most of the paving is done. Some concrete work is still to be done, including the “arcade,” a covered area next to the front entrance and also next to the rain garden installed to handle extra runoff.
A temporary irrigation system has been watering the new grass in the open space inside the chain link fence and along School and Providence streets. That white-piped system will be removed later. Sistare said the space between the front of the complex and Providence Street will be left open for “pickup games” or other passive recreation.
Shade trees have been installed and there is a noise/light buffer hill planted with arborvitae-type trees along the back of the property.
The complex will contain town hall offices, a community room, a new library, space for seniors and space for the Aspinock Historical Society. Sistare said the town is excited about the Community Room. “It’s a big deal. We don’t have that.” She said parameters for rental/use are being worked out.
The Dale Rogers metal sculpture currently next to the Putnam Public Library will move to the new spaces as will the Bicentennial history marker that used to stand in Rotary Park. It has been refurbished and is in storage, waiting.
The historical society officials have already removed all documents from the Aspinock House at the corner of the Municipal Complex property. The state will require a survey be done of the land around the Aspinock House. Then the town will receive a permit to demolish that building. That space will be used for three lanes into the complex property, two going out and one coming in, according to Sistare. She added that a traffic study has been done and there will not be a traffic light there. The town’s parking lot behind Aspinock will be used for overflow parking for the complex.
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