It is an expensive project, but it is needed.”

Portsmouth Finance Director Jim Lathrop

PORTSMOUTH — Major renovation work on the Leonard Brown House at Glen Farm, which will serve as the future headquarters of the town’s Recreation Department, should get underway by the spring of 2017.

The Town Council, at its July 30 meeting on Prudence Island, voted 5-0 to award a contract for the job to the low bidder, The Damon Company of Newport. 

Damon’s original bid of $1,022,635 was among four the town received, and all were over budget. The other three bidders and their cost proposals were Coletta Contracting of Pawtucket, $1,409,800; JG Edwards Construction of Portsmouth, $1,118,000; and Martone Service Company of Narragansett, $1,098,000.

Working with the town and its architect, Union Design Studio, Damon agreed to modifications that resulted in $200,330 of savings for a total proposal of $822,305. The new plans eliminate a full rear deck as well as wainscoting and crown molding, reduce landscaping and make various mechanical modifications to HVAC, plumbing and electrical, according to Finance Director Jim Lathrop.

The town has set aside $350,000 in this year’s budget for the project and will use another $35,000 in contingency funds, Mr. Lathrop said. The rest, he said, will come from $160,000 in remaining funds from last year’s budget; a $67,000 donation from Wind Energy Development, which erected the town’s new wind turbine; money left over from old or completed capital items; and miscellaneous operational savings.

“It is an expensive project, but it is needed,” said Mr. Lathrop, who called the Brown House a “jewel” at the opening of Glen Farm.

For rec department, others

The structure was first built in the mid-1800s as a farmhouse for Leonard Brown. Plans call for an office for the recreation director, office tables for various town recreational groups, meeting and conference rooms, a lounge or small cafe where visitors can sit with a cup of coffee or tea, outside garden patio and new bathrooms.

“It will be housing our Recreation Department, which right now is kinda of working out of a closet,” said Mr. Lathrop. 

Two offices upstairs could host up to six organizations, he added. “Instead of operating out of their cars, they have a permanent base,” he said.

Everything will be run through the recreation director, said Town Administrator Richard Rainer. No one will have permanently assigned space, although filing space will be made available, he said.

“This will be on an as-available basis scheduled by the Recreation Department,” said Mr. Rainer.

Council President Keith Hamilton said the Brown House would be available not only to sports organizations but to any group, whether it be the Garden Club or Red Hat Society.

Meeting location questioned

Before the vote was taken, council member Elizabeth Pedro questioned why the matter was on the agenda for a meeting that was held on Prudence Island. She said plenty of people on the “mainland” were interested in what happens to property at Glen Farm.

Local resident Judy Staven agreed, adding that meetings on Prudence Island should be reserved for island issues only. She suggested the council move the item to the Aug. 22 meeting, to be held at Town Hall.

Council member Kevin Aguiar, however, said everything surrounding the project has been done above board. “There’s been a lot of public awareness to the project,” said Mr. Aguiar.

Council Vice President James Seveney agreed, saying the matter was duly advertised and there have been no surprises, other than the fact that the bids came in high.

“We’re at the end point of a protracted public process,” Mr. Seveney said. ““I think it’s important that this get done.”