Why don’t we just leave the building as it is?

Some in the community are wondering, Why don’t we just leave the building as it is? There are several answers to this, on various levels.

As is typical of nearly all old wooden buildings, the Town Hall suffers from deferred maintenance. Structurally, it needs serious repair work, as well as earthquake and safety upgrades. It also needs functional upgrades — physical access to the Buckeye Lot from the basement, and more natural light downstairs. The kitchen needs to be modernized, and the building only has one ADA-compliant bathroom.

Along with these practical concerns is a more cerebral one. Historic buildings periodically need to feel “new” again — to contain features that are taken for granted in modern buildings. Certain light, comfort, power, and aesthetic options fall into this category. Few things put a building more at risk than its uselessness, and these kinds of upgrades keep a building alive and enjoyable to use.