New Seekonk DPW Facility Costs Rise to $40M

The total project cost of the new Department of Public Works facility has been given an estimate of $40.7 million.

The DPW Building Committee presented an overview to the Seekonk Select Board on July 24.

The actual construction cost of the building is $36 million.   

$1.5 million will be allocated for architectural and engineering services. OPM services will be $725,000. Owner contingency is $1.5 million. Miscellaneous project costs are $700,000.

At a January 31 meeting with the Select Board, the cost of the project was set at $31.2 million. The DPW Building Committee estimated the bond needed for construction was $29, 750,000.

There have been 12 general contractors who have submitted bids for the project.

“We’re anticipating that we’re going to see a lot of competition and that’s going to drive the cost down,” said Dan Tavares of CGA Project Management. Tavares explained a potential cost savings of $2 million for the project would involve a partial reuse of the salt shed and fueling station, in addition to reducing paving.

The project will go out to bid in September with a start date set for the first week of December. Construction is set for completion in May 2026. A vote to approve the funding will be held at the Fall Town Meeting in November, followed by a ballot referendum vote.

The proposed design is for a 61, 815 square-foot building. The garage will be 41, 850 square feet. The remaining space will be for maintenance and administration.

Brewster Thornton Architects came up with the designs for the facility. The complete building project timeline and architectural drawings can be viewed on the town web site – www.seekonk-ma.gov.

On June 7, 2021, the Town voted to appropriate the sum of $1,500,000, to pay for the costs of designing, planning, and engineering for the construction of a DPW facility on land owned by the Town of Seekonk at 351 Fall River Avenue.

The planning, design and oversight of expenditures will be under the direction of the Select Board.

The building committee was formed in August 2022. The members include John Pozzi, Edward Monigan, Michael Gagne, Kevin Hurst, and Select Board chairperson Michelle Hines.