Claremont
On Wednesday, the City Council approved spending a $70,000 grant the city had been awarded earlier from the federal Brownfields Program to remove asbestos, an oil tank and lead from the three-story brick building at 56 Opera House Square that has been vacant for more than 25 years.
Last used as a restaurant, it is located next to City Hall in front of the entrance to the police station, and though connected to the Farwell Block, is not part of that property.
The engineering firm of Credere Associates of Westbrook, Maine, which completed the phase I assessment last year that identified the contaminants that needed to be removed, also will do the engineering and oversight of the remediation.
Brownfields are properties that may have hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants present.
On Thursday, Judd Newcomb of Credere said that because federal money is involved, the first step after Credere signs the contract is to develop the remediation plan and have it published as part of the community relations plan and then allow for a 30-day comment period.
At the end of the 30 days, a public meeting has to be held. Once those requirements have been met, the remediation work will be put out to bid, Newcomb said.
“We do the engineering, bidding work and oversee the contamination removal,” said Newcomb, whose firm was hired by the Capital Regional Development Council.
The phase I assessment also was paid for with a grant through the Upper Valley Lake Sunapee Regional Planning Commission’s Brownfields Assessment Program, which also is funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Funding for the remediation work, which initially did not include lead removal, came from the CRDC in Concord.
Claremont’s Planning and Development Director Nancy Merrill said the removal of asbestos, lead paint in the stair cases and the oil tank is a big step toward repurposing the building and would have been difficult to accomplish without the grant funding.
“Getting funding from the regional planning commission and the CRDC shows they approve of what we are doing,” Merrill said, adding that it will be nice to finally have a safe building.
The building was constructed in the early 1900s and originally was a bank. Long-range plans include making it the new home of the West Claremont Center for Music and the Arts. Funding for interior renovations has not been obtained. The center now operates from the Union Church property on Old Church Road.
Meanwhile, the city continues to work out the details of a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant it was awarded that would mostly go toward the installation of an elevator to service 56 Opera House Square and the Farwell Block.
Also at Wednesday’s council meeting, Mayor Charlene Lovett said the city has scrapped a plan to reclassify Half Mile Road and block it off from vehicular traffic based on public comment received since the last council meeting. The road links Jarvis Hill and Plains roads and has been the site of illegal dumping activity, which prompted a proposal to reclassify it and install gates.
No further explanation was given for the city’s decision.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
