A future city hall
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8/14/2010
Recently Senator Marc Pacheco sent a flyer inquiring as to what single project would involve both the private sector and the Massachusetts State Government; what single project would stimulate the regional econcomy; what single project would create jobs.
My response to these questions (although it was phrased as one sentence) would be the planning, construction, design, and employment in creating/constructing/maintaining a Taunton Civic Center.
Currently the size of City Hall is inadequate to contain over 50 departments and commissions; many are scattered throughout the city. This would be an opportunity to consolidate the city services into a single concise area downtown. It would also generate business for the downtown area, changing it from a commerical area to a service center. Ancillary businesses would spring up to serve some basic needs of the workers and visitors.
Constructing a building between 15-20 stories would be designed to house not only the city departments, but also the State, Federal, and County services, such as FEMA, Bristol County Services, and offices for the US Representative and Senator. If such a building were constructed the top floor could hold a restaurant which would attract local visitors to eat and see the view.
Other parts to the Civic Center would be an auditorium to facilitate meetings of the public, holding 500-700 people, even a semi-convention center could be developed.
A Plaza could also be constructed named after either Robert Treat Paine (signer of the Declaration of Independence), (New York City has a park named after him in the court district), or Elizabeth Pole founder of Taunton; her body could be moved to that plaza for an honorable place..
The Herring Run, a notable bar/resturant contained in the old Taunton Inn, adjacent to City Hall, now a nursing home, could be either reopened or dismanted and place in the new city hall as a historic attraction.
Constructing a new city hall would raze the current police department (once the A&P supermarket, then an insurance company, then the police department)
time to build something current and reliable for the next 50 years.
The average age of Tauntonians is 35. This project would be aimed at the future generation their children and grandchildren from 2010-2060; if not beyond! Time to look to servicing those who are born in this genration and the next to come.
Jack | Taunton, MA