Boxborough Fire Station Committee Drops 20,000 Square Foot Target, Backs Original Plan

Fire Station Building Committee · Meeting of July 23, 2026

Boxborough fire station committee abandons sub-20,000-square-foot target, backs original program. The Fire Station Building Committee voted unanimously at its July 23 meeting to approve $91,241.07 in professional-services invoices — including a $33,973.75 owner's project manager fee to Vertex and a $56,828.63 schematic design invoice to the project's architecture firm — and reached consensus to proceed with the original 20,768-square-foot floor plan rather than trimming dorm rooms and lockers. Member Matt, who had been the most public advocate for a sub-20,000-square-foot building, told the committee, "You won't hear anything from me again about 20,000 square feet," citing conversations at a recent community event at which residents asked the committee to "get the job done." The committee was told that the stretch energy code trigger for a technical energy analysis applies above 20,000 square feet but that cost is already budgeted and amounts to tens of thousands of dollars, not a prohibitive sum.

A preliminary schematic design cost estimate is due to go out to estimators the week of July 28, and closing on the station site at 984 Mass Ave — delayed from the prior Friday — was expected within a few weeks with "no red flags" flagged by the project manager.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,127 words

Source: the Fire Station Building Committee meeting of July 23, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.