Architect Joel Bargmann, of Bargmann Hendrie Archetype Incorporation of Boston, wowed the Standish Town Council Tuesday night with his conceptual design for the future community center.

“I am very impressed,” said Council Chair Terry Christy after Bargmann’s presentation.

Bergmann’s proposal was the result of a two-month working relationship with Standish’s community building development committee.

The proposal considered various ideas including a pool, gym, computer rooms, library, separate senior and preschooler rooms, a multi-purpose room which could be used for parties, and a walking track.

“Every decision that you make on size has an effect on price,” said Bargmann. “And every decision you make on what you will have in the center affects the people that will come.”

Bergmann discussed with the council the benefits and disadvantages of specific components including the traffic situation at the site of the future center.

“The intersection here is actually perfect to handle the traffic from the center,” said Bergmann.

Bergmann pointed out that it already handles the traffic from the neighboring plant quite well.

“We already know that this road can handle the traffic from Honeywell,” said Bergmann.

Bergmann also discussed a possible “green” or environmentally friendly business plan. This may cost more at the start but would save energy and money over time. Some green options include geothermal heat pumps, light-saving sensors and landscaping options to recycle water run-off.

“These things are not to be thought over lightly,” said Bargmann. “Costs over time is important.”

Cost and revenue is something Councilor Philip Pomerleau is concerned about.

“I have a hard time raising taxes for the residents of Standish and then turning around and charging them a fee to use the center,” said Pomerleau.

“I don’t think we have gotten that far yet in the business plan,” said Bargmann. “We will know that when we get a little further along.”

Bargmann said the town will never recoup the entire cost of building the center but that other centers he has worked on have about 93 percent of the cost recovered.

Bargmann suggested that Standish allow other nearby towns to pay a fee and use the center.

“Every other town we have worked with has allowed other towns to use the facility,” said Bargmann. “It does help with revenue.”

Standish Recreation Director Linda Brooks believes sharing the facility is inevitable.

“We are a regional community,” said Brooks. “Our kids are friends with children in three other towns. After they enter the middle school together it is impossible to separate them.”

Bargmann believes bringing people together is the whole point of the center.

“Everyone appreciates the mix of generations and culture,” said Bargmann.

Bargmann revealed a preliminary design that would be compatible with the other buildings in town.

“Our goal is to tie the center in with the other buildings in town,” said Bargmann. “It should be built to the scale of the town. There are a lot of interesting features in town that we can use to make the building come to feel like it belongs here.”

Now that the design has been presented the town council needs to decide whether it will go with Bergmann’s firm or another architectural design company.

The council will be voting to either hire Bargmann, or look for another architect some time in December. The vote is only on whether to hire Bargmann, it does not have any bearing on what the plans will look like. That will come at a later date.

The cost of hiring Bergmann would be $70,000. Money that has already been set aside for the community center. As always the meeting will be open to the public.

Since the committee has been working with Bargmann for two months it seems unlikely they will not hire him.

“Our (community center) committee has been meeting for sometime now,” said Brooks. “After a lengthy selection process all of the committee members felt very strongly about going with Bergmann.”

Council Chair Terry Christy is happy with the work that has been done by all so far.

“I like what Bergmann is doing,” said Christy. “I like the business plan, and I am very pleased with the committee who have been working diligently. I am looking forward to the public process now. No doubt it will be a lot of give and take.”

Joel Bargmann, of Bargmann Hendrie & Archetype Incorporated, presents a preliminary community center design to the Standish Town Council on Tuesday. The workshop session served to educate the councilors of community center possibilities.

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