New Municipal Building Expected to Refresh Town AppearanceThe Addison Eagle reported recently that Middlebury residents will soon be voting over whether to renovate the town's current municipal building, or rebuild the entire structure. At present, the m

Author: Julie Shumway

The Addison Eagle reported recently that Middlebury residents will soon be voting over whether to renovate the town's current municipal building, or rebuild the entire structure.
At present, the municipal building is housed in the old Middlebury High School, located at the corner of South Main and College streets.
According to Town Manager Bill Finger, Middlebury's Select Board is looking at plans to demolish the existing building and attach office space to the municipal gymnasium.
In a public meeting on Aug. 26, the Select Board explained that the police station will be affected first; currently, plans are being investigated to move the police station to a location off Seymour Street.
After the police station has been moved, other municipal offices will be housed temporarily while construction is completed.
A major reason for the proposed changes is that the current building is "old, inefficient and plagued with plumbing, electrical, ventilation and accessibility problems," according to Finger. The former high school does not meet current building and safety codes, he adds.
One idea for the new construction is to rebuild the municipal building around a plaza, in an attempt to make the corner of South Main and College streets more aesthetically pleasing.
Many town residents seem to find the current offices confusing, with floors at different levels. The space is particularly difficult for elderly or disabled residents. It is for this reason that the town would like to renovate the gymnasium and rebuild the rest of the structure.
The costs of the renovation and rebuilding have not yet been determined, although the building committee, Bread Loaf Corporation, has estimated a total near $5.5 million.