Council approves master plan for Halliwell property

NORTH SMITHFIELD – It is conceptual, with everything from funding sources, to which elements could be built first – or even if anything will be built at all – still up in the air.

The Town Council has approved a master plan for the property that once held Halliwell Elementary School, which lays out hopes for the future of the lot, including a multi-generational community center.

Design firm Bargmann Hendrie + Archetype, Inc. presented the full document to councilors for the first time last week, the result of a long process that began with solicitation of public feedback on what residents might like to see on the 32-acre lot back in 2021.

“It’s been a good and successful process,” said Halliwell Review Committee Chairman Jeffrey Porter. Of firm BH+A he added, “They have done so much with the 6-7 months they’ve been working on this project.”

At a joint meeting with the Town Council on Thursday, Jan. 25, BH+A Principal Joel Bargmann explained the conceptual designs.

“The core element of this program is a multi-purpose room, activity rooms, a conference room that’s sort of a small meeting room and a kitchen,” he said. “This is sort of the core elements of a community center that serves a multigenerational clientele.”

The firm provided drafts of what the town could receive at various price levels – starting with what could be built on the lot with the town’s already secured $4 million federal grant: a 3,200-square-foot structure Bargmann noted was, “clearly not adequate.”

“At minimum, you want to add a kitchen to it,” Bargmann said of the stripped down design.

Instead, the HRC and BH+A have recommended a 6,600-square-foot building at a cost of around $6 million as the minimum needed if the town moves forward with building a multi-generational center on the space.

“There’s a fair amount of site infrastructure work involved,” Bargmann said of the property. “When we really got down to what could you do for a $4 million grant, the site work takes up a big portion of it. Two million more than the grant really makes a small building into a multigenerational community center.”

Whether or not that will happen remains unclear. Town officials are also in the process of looking at plans for an alternative project that would instead utilize the $4 million grant to expand on an existing structure known as Scouter’s Hall.

But on Thursday, the focus was on the potential for the plot that once served the town’s elementary school students – and a detailed conceptual plan that looked toward North Smithfield’s future – with an understanding that funds may not immediately be available.

“It’s a lego-like approach,” said Bargmann. “You can add on over time. It’s a pretty simple building. The whole point is you can start small with this plan.”

The $6 million proposed structure would be built to accommodate a gym and a pool – with the assumption both could be constructed at a later date. Also presented as a separate element were plans for sports fields, walking trails and additional parking.

“The building is designed to grow. The idea is, the building expands itself,” said Bargmann. “Over time, if you want to build this building bigger, you can add those two program rooms on.”

HRC member Robert Najarian noted that the 6,600-square-foot design accommodates many of the elements residents have said they’d hope to see in a community center, with meeting space, a lobby and a full kitchen.

“The 6,600 seems to bridge the gap,” Najarian said. “It gives us a little bit of everything.”

Cost estimates assumed a construction start date in December 2024, to be completed in 18 months.

“We are not looking to go to bond for any of this,” said committee member Laurie Chartier. “There’s fundraising.”

Porter noted that the committee was hoping the council could pass a resolution in support of the master plan, which would help in the effort to secure potential grants.

“Investors aren’t going to want to invest money in something that’s not supported by the town,” he said.

But Councilors had questions – mostly focused on what might happen to the plan if the town opts to build a community center at Scouter’s Hall.

“I think we need to wait until we have all the information back and see what’s actually feasible, and what we could do for the $4 million, if we could get more for our dollar at Scouter’s,” said Council President Kimberly Alves.

Porter said he supports getting all of the information before moving forward with any project.

“That’s absolutely your preogative,” he said.

However, “That property is only so big,” he added.

Councilor Paulette Hamilton said of the two similar projects, “I’m really confused, a little bit.”

Councilor Douglas Osier, who has served as the council’s liaison to the HRC, offered some clarity.

“Scouter’s is going to exist no matter what we do with the $4 million,” Osier said, adding that the creation of a multigenerational or senior center on the property, situated by Pacheco Park, “doesn’t solve everything.”

He noted that the master plan for Halliwell includes other elements for the community, such as sports fields, and outdoor space for hiking and gatherings.

“This is more forward, longer-term visioning,” Osier said.

Porter said the plan – and hope for Halliwell – is to create a community amenity.

“Honestly, we’re trying to do something for the entire community,” said Porter. “This helps bring people into the town. Right now, our biggest amenity is our schools.”

Councilor John Beauregard expressed skepticism.

“In the past 16 years, do you know what we’ve built in this town? We’ve built a bathroom,” Beauregard said, referencing the structure by the North Smithfield High School Athletic Fields built by Green Development in 2022. “You would have my support, but I don’t know if you’d have support of the town. Don’t forget the zip code that you live in.”

On Thursday, it took time for HRC members to get across the idea of conceptual design, and the type of long term planning they had laid out for the property – similar to the direction and vision often expressed in a town’s comprehensive plan.

“No one is talking about money,” said Najarian. “Eliminate the Scouter’s issue from your mind.”

“Look at the property as a whole,”said member Scott Sevegny. “DEM has trail grants but they want to see that you’ve done the work to get to the point where you’re applying for the money and you’re ready to go.”

“It’s a sales tool. You can take that and go to a corporation,” said Chartier. “Would you do this for the town if you didn’t have to think about the money?”

Alves pointed to one element in the outdoor design, noting, “We probably don’t need another football field in town.”

HRC members noted that they fully expect to make changes and adjustments to the plan going forward.

“This is what we wanted, this kind of engagement,” said Najarian of Alves’ comment.

“This wasn’t a take it or leave it situation,” said Porter. “We want to hear this feedback.”

Of Scouter’s, Najarian added, “You decide what to do with that, then come back to us.”

Hamilton expressed concern at the lack of operational costs in the master plan, and Porter responded that the information would soon come from BH+A.

Councilor Claire O’Hara said that overall, she liked what she was seeing.

“We have to start with something and you never know what can be had,” said O’Hara. “Something else may be presented but we have what we need to go forward.”

Pendergast said a full report on both Scouter’s and the adjacent Pacheco Park will be generated by end of month.

Asked his opinion on the potential project, Town Administrator Paul Zwolenski noted that, “You have possibilities for the future at Halliwell.”

Najarian emphasized that the plan is conceptual and that no money will be spent without further vetting and council approval.

“Whenever it is that we go into design, we make revisions,” he said. “By no means does anyone think that we’re not going to make revisions.

Councilors unanimously approved the Halliwell master plan, specifying that it is, “subject to revisions.”