In Marshfield, the Zoning Board of Appeals conducted a site visit to the location of the new police station.
The ZBA will hear a formal presentation on the project during the next meeting, set for September 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Last year, Town Meeting and Special Election voters approved a nearly $50 million debt exclusion to include the station, a new DPW facility, and seawall improvements.
Standing on the grounds of the future site, Police Chief Phil Tavares says the project has been decades in the making.
“We had tried for 33 years to make it happen, it finally came to fruition. Right now is something tangible that we can actually see progress with the plans, the design, the colors, and the flooring,” said Tavares. “Today we’re visiting the site, and visualizing exactly where the building will be. It makes it real for us. What once was maybe a pipe dream is starting to really come true.”
Health concerns, flooding, and a lack of storage led the push for a new station. The original building on Ocean Street was built in 1958 and was expanded in 1978.
The new 26,000 square foot station would be built behind the current station, in place of the current DPW barn.
Town Administrator Michael Maresco says timing was everything for the seawalls, DPW facility, and police station. The town had a AA+ bond rating from Standard & Poor’s.
“If we had to do it today with COVID, I’m just not sure we would have the support there,” said Maresco.
He’s hoping construction can start in November.
“It’s being prepared, it’s executing a proper plan. A lot of time and effort went into the design, a lot of time and effort went into education,” said Maresco. “If people are listening, I invite them to go to our construction site on the town website. They can look at all three projects and we’re going to continually update information there. This is exciting, because we’re one step closer to getting shovels in the ground.”
