OTISFIELD — Residents will be asked this year to decide the future of Otisfield Community Hall on Route 121 after two architectural firms recommended a major overhaul.

Fish Street Design of Fryeburg and The H.L. Turner Group of Concord, N.H. completed an assessment of the building to determine its structural integrity and what areas need to be addressed. The companies recommended a wide range of upgrades, from putting in a full foundation to moving the 72- by 30-foot single-story building farther from the highway.

They estimate the cost of all the upgrades, except those in the kitchen, would cost $329,518.

“People have been concerned for years that that building and other buildings in town have not been attended to,” Selectman Rick Micklon said.

The assessment says the wood in the building is in good shape, but the floors and roof need to be reinforced to meet the International Building Code in terms of their load capacity in pounds per square foot. Micklon said that could be accomplished by additional joists and rafters.

The building sits on posts and blocks. The companies are recommending a concrete foundation be installed to provide more suitable bearing as well as storage and mechanical space. They also suggest that the hall could be moved farther from the highway on the same parcel to make more space for parking and entry to the hall.

In addition, the companies say the building’s electrical and mechanical systems need to be replaced. They say the roof shingles, windows, and siding are also outdated and need to be replaced. They suggest adding insulation to make the hall an all-season venue, and the kitchen equipment be upgraded to make it more useful.

Micklon said he has received several calls on the matter, with residents both for and against preserving the hall. He said the town could forgo repairs, complete some or all of the recommendations, or build another hall. An informational meeting will be held in March, and the issue could appear on the June annual town meeting warrant.

A sign on the building reads 1920. Jean Hankins, curator of the Otisfield Historical Society, said the hall is three separate buildings put together. She estimated it was actually completed around 1925 or 1926. It once belonged to Eva and George Elliot, owners of The Cape cottages, she said, and was briefly used for a library. The Elliots gave the building to the East Otisfield Community Club, which later deeded the property to the town.

Micklon said the building has been used for dances, bake sales, church fairs, school functions, town meetings, family reunions and weddings.

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