From: Michael Behrendt Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 5:39 PM Subject: FW: Demolition/removal of existing town hall To the HDC, FYI. Michael Behrendt Director of Planning and Community Development Town of Durham 15 Newmarket Road Durham, New Hampshire 03824-2898 (603) 868-8064 (phone) (603) 868-8033 (fax) mbehrendt@ci.durham.nh.us www.ci.durham.nh.us From: Tom Johnson Sent: Thursday, September 04, 2014 4:42 PM To: pestanhope@stanhopegroup.com; Todd Selig; Corey Landry; John Powers Cc: Andrea Bodo; Michael Behrendt; Michael Lynch Subject: RE: Demolition/removal of existing town hall Peter, Todd asked me to expand on this previous email below with some specifics for your meeting tonight concerning my support/recommendation to allow for demolition of the present Town Hall building for the property redevelopment. This is brief and at the last minute; but michael tells me the public hearing will probably be extended on this particular issue. 1. A structural engineering analysis will be needed to determine the structural integrity of the existing foundation/building for any Change in Use. I expect this will require a major investment to bring the originally built residential buildings (30-40psf live loading) into compliance with the IBC commercial offices(50-100psf live loading) or retail loading requirements(100-250psf live loading). This requirement at the Orion site, required that the 2 buildings left standing only be used for residential purposes. I do not believe Durham wants (student) housing located on this busy potential commercial property. I believe once these structural changes for a commercial use are done, the building will no longer meet the criteria to remain on NHDHR registry as per my discussion today with Peter Michaud when they are reevaluated, just like the Orion buildings required to remain as residential and to be renovated. 2. All environmental issues will have to be mitigated, ie. lead paint, mold, asbestos, etc. which is much more costly/time consuming on a building that is staying versus one being removed. 3. The current structure is built with a lot of interior load bearing walls and short span floor systems. This type of framing is difficult for open concept retail or office change in use; another reason that residential use should be stipulated if the buildings are not taken down. Tom From: Tom Johnson Sent: Monday, August 04, 2014 1:58 PM To: 'pestanhope@stanhopegroup.com'; Todd Selig; Corey Landry; John Powers Cc: Andrea Bodo; Michael Behrendt; Michael Lynch Subject: RE: Demolition/removal of existing town hall Peter, In response to your email request for input below concerning the current Town Hall building and it’s re- use in redevelopment of the site I offer the following. As a co-conspirator in the occupancy of this fine building for only 13 years, it was done so under duress. The former residential buildings were converted under another approval authority from a prior century and suspect code enforcement! The State of NH had not adopted a statewide building code until 2002. The current NH/Durham codes that will be used to review and govern any possible re-use of this building for a Change in Use from an Office Use to a Mercantile Use will require substantial structural, plumbing, mechanical, fire, electrical, energy, ADA/accessibility changes as to make the project technically/financially infeasible in my professional opinion. Sincerely, Thomas F. Johnson, CBO Director of Zoning, Building Codes & Health Town of Durham 15 Newmarket Rd. Durham, New Hampshire 03824-2898 phone: (603)868-8064 fax: (603)868-8033 e-mail: tjohnson@ci.durham.nh.us www.ci.durham.nh.us FIRST PREVENTERS: A First Preventer may go under the title of Code Official, Building Inspector, Health Officer, Fire Chief, Fire Marshal, Fire Inspector, Building Official, Code Enforcement Officer, Plan Reviewer, Electrical Inspector, Plumbing Inspector, Mechanical Inspector, Energy Inspector or simply Building Safety Official. But, these titles merely obscure their common mission: to prevent harm by ensuring compliance with building and fire safety codes before a disaster occurs. From hurricanes to tornados, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, snow storms, ice storms, or older poorly constructed buildings; the building, fire, plumbing, mechanical, energy and electrical codes administered and enforced by First Preventers play a major role in saving lives, protecting property and reducing future repair or recovery costs often paid for by taxpayer dollars From: Peter Stanhope [mailto:pestanhope@stanhopegroup.com] Sent: Monday, August 04, 2014 1:13 PM To: Todd Selig; Tom Johnson; Corey Landry; John Powers Cc: Andrea Bodo; Michael Behrendt Subject: Demolition/removal of existing town hall To all: As the Town of Durham is the owner of the existing town hall you have the right to present evidence to the HDC that it is a hardship to not allow the removal of the building. As I understand the zoning any reuse of the building would be a change in use and require the building to be brought up to current building codes. The building has long had a reputation of lacking compliance. If the required compliance modifications would not be economically feasible this fact should be disclosed to the HDC for consideration. The process of considering the future of the existing town hall has just begun. This question should be addressed as early as possible in the process so your buyer will be duly informed if the building must be retained or can be removed. Respectfully Peter E. Stanhope HDC chair The Stanhope Group, LLC Portsmouth, NH / Goffstown, NH 1.603.431.4141 ******************************************** REAL ESTATE VALUATION NOTICE: Unless expressly stated otherwise, any real estate valuation opinion contained in this email, including any attachments, is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, by any person other than the identified Intended User and the Intended Use indicated. 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