Moving Westborough Town Offices to Bay State Commons Eyed

Westborough officials want public input on moving town offices from to leased space at .

Such a move would cost Westborough $2,605,252 less over 20 years than "to renovate Town Hall and build a Recreation Center," according to a notice posted today on the Westborough town website.

The two projects would cost an estimated $11,088,074, the notice states. Fitting the Bay State Commons space would cost $2,388,640, or $8,699,445 more.

However, leasing the second-floor Bay State Commons space would bring a first-year savings of $393,673 on the annual debt service, the notice notes.

The public meeting on the proposal is at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12 in Forbes Municipal Building Room 23.

The move would allow Westborough to house its town offices in one location, and more efficiently, the notice says.

"This would provide an opportunity for the Town to operate out of a 21st Century Town Office in the middle of a 'lifestyle center' that includes commercial and residential and was designed to be an extension of the downtown area," the notice says.

Westborough also wouldn't need to build a recreation center, the notice says. The basketball court could stay at Forbes.

"Town Hall could be sold to protect the exterior facade," the notice says.