Largest CPA
Project Ever Tackles Complex Financing Issues on Path to Rehabilitation
July 2009
The largest appropriation of CPA funds for a single project
was recently approved by residents of
This project demonstrates the town's commitment to CPA and historic
preservation, and the willingness of many town boards to work together to
tackle tough issues and find solutions for financing this complex project.
At Town Meeting on May 4, 2009, Needham residents approved the Community
Preservation Committee's recommendation to allocate $15,029,233 in CPA funds
for the restoration of Needham Town Hall ($7.2 million will
be bonded). According to Paul Siegenthaler,
Chair of the Needham CPC, the restoration has been discussed for ten years, and
CPA funding was instrumental in allowing the project to move forward. In
fact, the potential restoration of 1902 Town Hall was one of the galvanizing
forces behind the town's adoption of CPA in 2004, said Kate Fitzpatrick,
Needham Town Manager.
One of the most complex parts of this project was determining exactly what
could be paid for with CPA funds, and what would need to be paid for from the
town's general budget, since the project included work on the historic
building and a more modern Annex.
Determining the CPA/General Fund Split
The Needham CPC had three representatives on the town's Permanent Public
Building Committee (PPBC), which oversaw the hiring of the architect for this
project. The architect who was ultimately selected for the Town Hall
renovation has experience with historic preservation work, including Town Halls
and CPA projects in other communities.
The CPC developed a list of historic features that they were concerned about,
including the gold dome, the windows, the roof and balustrade, and interior
trim work. The CPC presented this list to the PPBC and met with the
architect and a representative of the PPBC to discuss each item.
One member of the Needham CPC is an architect by trade, and worked closely with
the PPBC to determine what parts of the project would be eligible for CPA funds
(the historic renovation portion) and what would not (the new
construction/Annex portion). For example, the heating system in the renovated
portion will be eligible for CPA funds, as it will be incorporated into the
standing historic structure, while the heating system in the Annex will not.
Because of the constant communication between the CPC and the PPBC, the
CPA/non-CPA financial split was generally agreed upon by the time estimates
were available.
Resources: a local architect, and a Circuit Rider
The Needham CPC says that having a CPC member who is also an architect was
invaluable, as he was able to "speak the same language" as the project
architect. Had they not had an architect on their committee, the CPC
likely would have hired a consultant to help them work through the
process. Particularly challenging was applying the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation to
the project.
In addition to their resident architect, the Needham CPC took advantage of the Circuit Riders, a project of
Preservation Massachusetts and the National Trust for Historic
Preservation. These Circuit Riders travel the state and offer their
preservation expertise to local communities. According to the Needham
CPC, working with a Circuit Rider was extremely helpful as they determined what
parts of their project would be paid for from which town account.
Moving Forward
The CPC liaisons to the PPBC will continue to attend those meetings, and
minutes are forwarded to all CPC members. Though CPC members don't have
an actual vote on the PPBC, their involvement, observation and questions will
help ensure that the spirit of CPA is followed during this complex project.
The town expects the project to go out to bid in the fall. The Needham
CPC is happy to share their insights with CPCs in
other towns who are dealing with similar issues; project documents are available online, and
Patricia Carey can be contacted at pcarey@needhamma.gov
for further information.