06/01/2016

Spurwink School Reuse Committee seeks proposals

The Spurwink School Reuse Committee is seeking detailed proposals from citizens or organizations interested in repurposing the one-time school house adjacent to the recently renovated Thomas Memorial Library. [download Request for Information]

The ad hoc committee is charged with reviewing proposals for use of the building and making a recommendation to the Town Council. Members include Town Councilors Caitlin Jordan and Jamie Garvin; School Board Members Heather Altenburg and John Voltz; and at-large member Jim Walsh.

Director of Facilities Greg Marles is assisting as staff liaison.

The building recently became vacant after being used as a temporary home for the library during renovations. On several occasions last year, citizens had the opportunity to weigh in on what they would like to see happen to the building once it was no longer needed by the library. Through surveys that were distributed in last spring’s tax bills, along with at last fall’s community input session hosted by the Town Council, a range of ideas was generated, with 52 percent of survey respondents favoring some type of new "public use."

"As the committee has begun its work, we have taken into consideration a lot of feedback from the public and interested parties about what they would like to see happen to the building," said Jamie Garvin, who is serving as chairman of the committee. "While several concepts have surfaced in some form or another early on, at this point we’re looking for those folks to formalize with more detail and specificity any of the ideas and plans that they’d actually like to have considered. The committee thought the process would be best facilitated by creating a standardized mechanism and set of questions by which each of the proposals could be evaluated, and that’s what we’ve done with this RFI."

Among the information the committee is seeking:

• A description of the program or use of the facility, along with how it will benefit the public;
• A summary of the resources being provided and/or being sought to meet the needs of use; and,
  
• Type of access needed and hours of operation.

Responses should be submitted by June 24, 2016, to Cape Elizabeth Facilities and Transportation Department, Attn: Greg Marles; 345 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107.

Questions regarding the RFI or requests to visit the site may be directed to Greg Marles, 207-799-9574 or gmarles@capeelizabeth.org.