Meeting between Sandwich Council on Aging and representatives from Tedeschi Realty Corp.
On Monday, September 23, 2002, representatives from Sandwich Council on Aging Board (John Bryant, Chair; Robert Uebele, Vice Chair; John Schultz, Treasurer; Kay Cambone; Julia Olander; Roger Sullivan; Jan Teehan; Jeffery Wynot, COA Director – Jan Timmons; Town Planning Director – Joanne Miller Buntich; and Tedeschi Realty Corp. -- John J. McWeeney, Vice President of Development and John Shipe of Rizzo & Associates (Civil Engineers) met to discuss plans to develop parcels of land owned by Tedeschi Realty on Cotuit Road, Sandwich.
Tedeschi Realty is proposing as part of their development plan for Shaw’s Supermarket to donate parcels of land to the Sandwich Council on Aging to build a free standing Senior Center and the Sandwich Public Library to build a branch library.
John McWeeney of Tedeschi Realty presented a preliminary plan which included the Shaws Supermarket location, sites for the library, the Senior Center, a small office building and other site amenities. This plan is in response to the Town of Sandwich’s request that the site be more than just a supermarket but rather support the long range town concept of a second "main street" area. There was much discussion concerning access, traffic, green space, parking spaces required, easy access between the proposed buildings, an increase in handicapped parking near the Senior Center and time lines for Cape Cod Commission approval, the town permitting process and completion of construction of the supermarket. Shaws hopes to be in operation by the fall of 2004.
Tedeschi Realty would ideally like both the Senior Center and library to be built on the property as soon as possible and in concert with the supermarket construction. However, if the time line for the town projects cannot coincide with Shaws own development, the sites to be donated will be maintained as open space until such time as the Town of Sandwich does complete its work. A preliminary exterior rendering of the proposed Senior Center was shown to all attendees. They approved the building appearance as appropriate for the center, Sandwich and Cape Cod. The rendering was prepared by Mr. James Sullivan, the architect who worked with the Community Campus Committee.
Mr. McWeeney and Mr. Shipe will work on the suggested changes regarding the siting, parking, increase of green space, etc. for the Senior Center and return with an updated plan. Tedeschi Realty is donating the land—not funds for construction. Mr. Shipe was provided data as to size of luncheons/parties, major meetings, etc. to estimate sewer/mechanical needs. The Council on Aging agreed to provide preliminary sketches of an internal layout based on programs/activities and town population forecasts as analyzed by the COA Building Committee.
Based on a benefit/problem analysis of potential sites conducted by the COA Building Committee this summer and the results of this meeting, the Sandwich Council on Aging Board of Directors agreed to support the preliminary concept and site location at the Shaws property. We will send a letter to Tedeschi Realty indicating that position.
The Sandwich Council on Aging is in need of volunteers to assist us with the process of planning, acquiring funds to build and furnish a Center and to build our Senior Center. If you have experience in any of the above areas, please consider volunteering your time and expertise to this project. You can serve on sub-committees (without serving on the Council on Aging Board). This is an important time in the history of the Council on Aging and we need experts of all ages to help us meet this goal! (Call Jan Timmons, Director of the COA at 508-888-4737 or e-mail at Jtimmons@townofsandwich.net) or John Bryant, Chair at 508-888-2215 or e-mail at jandpbryant@aol.com) for additional information .
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Submitted 09/25/2002