131 Pleasant Street

In November 2018 Town Administration developed 11 options for potential reuse of the municipal facility located at 131 Pleasant Street for Select Board review. The facility housed the Nantucket Fire Department until their planned move into a new facility adjacent to the existing Public Safety Facility at 4 Fairgrounds Road in June 2019.

At the November 14, 2018 meeting the Select Board voted to co-locate the Health Department from 3 East Chestnut and Natural Resources from 2 Bathing Beach Road to this location on a temporary basis. The vote allows for facility to be renovated to allow for both departments to be housed in the main building and utilize the garage for the existing NRD boats and other equipment for several years as plans are developed by the Affordable Housing Trust for future use of the property for housing needs. Through Article 10 of the April 2019 Annual Town Meeting, $250,000.00 was approved to be appropriated for improvements to 131 Pleasant Street property and facilities for municipal office space. In late May 2019, SMRT Architects provided a proposal for a feasibility study to determine the necessary building rehabilitation/ adaptive reuse work that was needed to provide for the departments relocation into the facility. The main considerations for the adaptive re-use of the facility included:

1. Minimize the extent of building rehabilitation work. While up to three options will be developed, the intent is to have one option reflect no structural improvements / wall demolition and relocation.
2. The existing garage bays are desired to continue to support the Department boats / trailers / vehicles and other equipment. A portion of the three bays may be used for records / general storage.
3. Accessible meeting spaces for community organizations is desired in the modular trailer, as well as department meetings during the typical workday. The community meetings are most likely during evening hours and will require additional parking. The modular trailer will require installation of accessible ramps. Proximity of the trailer to the permanent structure is to be considered.
4. The facility improvements are to be completed to allow occupancy by Fall 2019. Depending on the scope of the improvements, the intent is to construct the improvements with Town forces as much as possible.
5. The existing fuel tank is to remain in full operation and access. 
6. Mechanical system evaluation and upgrades are not to be considered as part of this work. 

While many factors contributed to the delay in the project, including COVID, the potential problem and major renovations that would ultimately be needed for the building were determined to be placed on hold as the time and project cost for a major overhaul of the building does not comply with a temporary usage of the space as determined by the Select Board. On November 18, 2020 a contract was awarded, and work has since completed for removal of identified hazardous material at 20 South Water and 131 Pleasant Street locations. The other required minor renovations and technology work were completed and occupation of the space by the Health & Human Services and Natural Resources Departments was done during the week of July 5^th. 

Also, at the April 2019 Annual Town meeting, $450,000 was approved for costs associated with acquisition of a trailer for municipal space purposes, including meeting space. A modular trailer, which was previously used by the School and later stored at Miacomet Golf Course, was available and thus eliminated the need to purchase a new trailer. The move of this trailer and placement at 131 Pleasant Street was approved by HDC on September 10, 2019 to be used as temporary meeting space. A contract was awarded to Barrett Enterprises on October 28, 2020 to move the trailer and set it at the approved location. Landscaping screening will soon be in place and Town staff continue to work to equip the space with the required technology to hold regulatory and non-regulatory meetings.

Public Discussions

• Historic District Commission - 09/10/2019