The Council on Aging is embarking on an estimated $150,000 project to renovate and expand its community room and sunroom in the Judy and Gene Jacobi Community Center.
COA Executive Director Lisa Hooper presented the plans to the Select Board recently.
“We have a sunroom that was put on after the building was built and it has served its purpose,” Hooper told the Select Board. “It’s about 26 years old. It’s not heated, it’s not air-conditioned. And really, we need the space.”
Marblehead architect Walter Jacob said the plans call for taking down the existing enclosed porch and building a new, larger structure in the same footprint that can serve as an indoor/outdoor cafe.
“What we’re doing is taking one of the existing rooms that are inside and making a little service station there,” said Jacob, “so that people can buy muffins and coffee and things like that.”
The upgraded area will include varied seating options and some built-in, diner-like booths and tables. It will connect through a doorway to the existing lounge and enhance programming and activities.
“The first area gets used often for events and social groups, but the back sunroom doesn’t get much use,” said Hooper. “The renovated area will give us more space to serve our clients and participants for gatherings to reduce social isolation.”
The latter point is key, said Suzanne Gruhl, president of the COA Board of Directors.
“We’re very big on socialization, and this is huge for socialization.”
The board has contemplated upgrades to facilitate seniors congregating for years.
“What you’re going to have is instead of people running in and out, have it more of a place of congregation, which is exactly what seniors need,” said Gruhl.
Hooper got the ball rolling on upgrades after doing research on best practices at other senior centers in the state.
“We visited several centers and saw they had café spaces which we thought was a great idea, especially for encouraging social engagement among seniors,” she noted.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer noted that “given the funding sources are not taxpayer sources, but through the fundraising they’ve done, it made no sense to run it through our capital improvement plan process.”
The $150,000 project costs will be covered by a mixture of private donations, the Friends of the Council on Aging and a Shattuck Fund Grant.
Hooper said she hopes the COA can put the project out to bid this winter and begin construction in the spring with everything wrapping well before year’s end. Select Board members unanimously signed off on the project.
“It looks great, we’re definitely excited,” said Select Board Chair Pro Tem Moses Grader. “It’s a great use of existing space.”
