CHATHAM – Chatham selectmen have identified an existing location on Stony Hill Road, the rear of the Marconi property in Chatham Port, and a private parcel at 1610 Main Street West Chatham as possible candidates for a new senior center.
These three locations were chosen from 30 town-owned sites and around eight private parcels.
“Any site we’re going to pick is going to be a compromise. And it’s going to be a compromise based upon a number of parameters that one or four of us are going to have four different opinions on what’s the most important,” said Selectman Peter Cocolis.
Council on Aging board Chairman Barbara Segall and resident David Whitcomb favor the 1610 Main Street location.
Cocolis wonders if the 1610 Main Street location would be worth the price, or if the space wouldn’t be better used for workforce housing, though he agreed it could make a good potential senior center, as well.
The main street location would cost $900,000.
Selectman Dean Nicastro said he wasn’t confident that the better choice wouldn’t be to simply build a new center on the grounds of the current one.
However, reusing the existing site would require the council on aging to find another space for at least a year while construction takes place.
The Chathamport location, meanwhile, is a significant distance away from town center.
It is about as far away as rejected location Middle Road.
“The number of seniors by percentage has gone up, and what has gone down? Our younger cohort 20 to 30,” said Cocolis, emphasizing the importance of the project.
“A lot of people that have second homes here want to retire here… They’re going to be in the 65+. In my mind, we need a building that would meet the needs of this new group,” continued Cocolis.
Selectman are hoping to get more information on the sites as well as rough cost estimates for another meeting soon.
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