SANDWICH – A former bank building in Sandwich is now under town ownership.
After debate, town meeting voters this spring approved the $2.1 million purchase of the former Santander Bank property.
“The deed has been recorded and all the stuff was exchanged on 100 Route 6A,” Dunham told selectmen last week.
“As of today it is officially under the ownership of the town of Sandwich.”
Dunham said that insurance coverage on the building is also in place.
The town will complete a $1.85 million renovation of the former bank and Dunham expects town employees to be in the building within two years.
Plans call for all offices with the most visitors, including the town clerk, tax collector, building inspections and permitting on the first floor, along with the town manager’s office and selectmen.
Plans also call for the addition of 38 parking spaces at the property, along with improving the septic system.
Dunham said contract negotiations with the architectural firm Brown, Lindquist, Fenuccio & Raber for the redesign of the building were close to complete.
“It is under the threshold within the money we have allocated so I will sign that and get that moving,” Dunham said. “They’ll start doing all the due diligence to take it all the way to construction plans and to fine tune the design and layout of offices, etc.”
The Council on Aging was hoping the building would be purchased to be used as a new Center for Active Living.
The issues cause much debate before and at town meeting.
Selectmen have made a promise to hold a special town meeting in the fall to ask voters to approve borrowing $15 million for a new senior center and renovations to the Sandwich Library.
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