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.