The Town of Carrboro has plans to renovate two of the town’s existing facilities: town hall and the Carrboro Century Center. Key considerations for the renovations include energy sustainability, accessibility, and preservation of historic character.
At a town council meeting May 4, Jim Spencer Architects and Sud Associates presented plans for the Town of Carrboro Renewed Facilities Project.
Carrboro Mayor Lydia Lavelle said the plans for the rehabilitation of town hall include bringing back the historic features of the building while upgrading the internal infrastructure to modern efficiencies.
“We’re really going to try to have it return a little bit to the way it used to look,” Lavelle said. “Retain its historic feature which isn’t even there right now, bring it back to the historic feature to have some modern day kind of energy efficiencies in the building – so we’re going to be offsetting our energy usage on the campus of Town Commons.”
Lavelle said there will be an addition to town hall which will allow them to add an elevator to the building. She said the town also wants to be able to use the second floor of the building, which is currently occupied by storage and office space.
“It’s just this beautiful, beautiful auditorium with a wooden floor that needs to have some bolstering and a lot of safety work done to the whole building, but especially that floor if we end up having it all refurbished,” the Carrboro mayor said.
Carrboro Town Hall Proposed Main Level Rehabilitation (Photo via Town of Carrboro)
Carrboro Town Hall Proposed Upper Level Rehabilitation (Photo via Town of Carrboro)
Other plans within the project include the refurbishment of the Carrboro Century Center. Some goals within the renovation include better public access to central administration and reception.
Lavelle said some departments currently occupying the Century Center, like Recreation and Parks, will be moving into the new 203 Project building – which is set to begin construction in the fall.
“We got a look at how it might be designed at the Century Center to make it give our police department more space,” Lavelle said. “They have a couple different areas that are kind of haphazard down there. Be able to have them more organized with their material equipment and supplies.”
Another plan for the Century Center, Lavelle said, is to make a kitchen area more accessible for anyone having events in the building.
Carrboro Century Center Lower Level Proposed Rehabilitation (Photo via Town of Carrboro)
Carrboro Century Center Upper Level Rehabilitation (Photo via Town of Carrboro)
In addition to renovations on town hall and the Century Center, the town is considering plans for the rehabilitation of Public Works. Plans are still in discussion as they await further recommendations from Sungate Engineering regarding storm water and other environmental issues.
One potential plan under consideration is to construct new, more energy efficient buildings on site rather than repairing and adding to existing buildings.
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