Amenia Town Board hears plans for new Town Garage

AMENIA — The old Town Garage in Wassaic, built before 1955, is showing its age and inability to meet the town’s modern needs, according to a special report to the Town Board at its regular meeting on Thursday, April 4.

Flanked by images of the old garage and conceptual design plans for a new structure, Budget Officer Charlie Miller reported on the shortcomings of the old and the design features of a new expanded facility.

“The highway garage is falling apart,” Miller said of the old structure that was constructed on an old landfill near Wassaic Park. He described walls separated from the roof and inadequate room for indoor parking as vehicles have grown larger. The salt shed structure abuts Wassaic Creek. The total area of the site has only 2.5 acres of usable land.

The new site along Route 22, not far from the old location, measures 5 acres. The conceptual design plans show a 13,000 square foot garage with six bays for trucks and equipment. A covered salt shed stands nearby in the drawings.

The total projected cost for the new Town Garage is estimated at $6.3 million, Miller said.

“The more you put things off, the more costly they become,” Miller added, suggesting using undesignated ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds for initial phases.

Miller said that by early summer or perhaps the fall, the town should be prepared to send the engineering aspect out for bid, and ARPA funds could begin paying for that work.

“Several grant opportunities exist to help with costs,” Miller noted, expecting that bonding would be needed for the project at an estimated $5.1 million.

Three currently bonded projects are nearing the end of their bonding: the landfill, the rail trail and the heating system at the Town Hall, Miller noted, lessening the impact of bonding for a town garage.

“Three currently bonded projects - the landfill, the rail trail and the heating system at the Town Hall - will end several years into the debt repayment for the garage facility," Miller noted, "lessening the future impact of bonding for a town garage.”

To acquaint residents with the deteriorated conditions and cramped quarters within the old town garage property, an open house is planned for Saturday, May 4 giving visitors a chance to see for themselves.

For more information about plans for the new Town Garage, go to ameniany.gov/highway.