LIVERMORE FALLS — The chairwoman of the RSU 73 subcommittee looking into options to dispose of closed buildings gave a progress report to the school board Thursday night.

Chairwoman Jackie Knight said the committee reviewed and discussed a proposal to take down all or portions of the closed Livermore Falls Middle School.

A quote to demolish the building, including the gym, was $605,000, she said.

“It’s just an estimate,” Knight said. The project, if approved, would have to go out to bid.

The price does not include removal of asbestos and lead.

“It is the consensus of the group to definitely try to save the gym,” she said.

If that portion was saved, a new heating system would need to be installed.

She said the committee knows it would take a few years to save up to demolish the rest of the building but in the meantime, they are looking at shutting off the electricity, water and heat to the  academic wing and cafeteria.

The estimated cost to demolish the main academic wing is $380,000, and the addition where the cafeteria is would cost $90,000. To take the portion between the academic wing and the gymnasium down would cost an estimated $135,000.

The estimate did indicate if the entire building was taken down at the same time, there could a savings of about $40,000.

There was some discussion that there could be some salvage done with the project that could possibly cut costs, she said.

There were a couple of suggestions, including giving the building back to the town of Livermore Falls and if townspeople didn’t want it, to put it up for sale by sealed bid, Knight said.

The group is still looking at a performing arts center as well as Area Youth Sports using it as a community building where both the arts and basketball could be done.

One of the biggest concerns is that if someone buys it and doesn’t take care of the property, it would deteriorate and become an eyesore, she said.

Another issue is insurance on the building.

Another suggestion was to put a question on the warrant to see if people want to use the business building for community functions for all three towns, Knight said.

The cost to run it for another year is estimated at $98,000, including insurance, Superintendent Robert Wall said. If AYS put a separate heating system in it, the cost would be less, he said.

The next meeting of the building disposition panel is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 15, at the Cedar Street Learning Center in Livermore Falls.

Wall also gave an update on the subcommittee looking at an addition and renovations to the Spruce Mountain High School North Campus in Jay. The group is putting the final touches on a plan that would support programs and students numbers that will go before the Facilities Committee before it comes to the school board at 6 p.m., Thursday, March 22, at the Cedar Street complex.

According to the minutes of the committee’s last meeting, the number of additional spaces would be about 33 including large classrooms down to small group rooms.

The concept, according to plans laid out on a table in the central office, is to build a three-story addition on the end of the existing academic wing of the school.

The renovation/addition panel will meet again at 6 p.m. at the high school in Jay.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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