From: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator

To: WendyB-Montague Selectboard

Subject: FW: Assessment Report

Date: Monday, January 10, 2022 1:32:03 PM
Attachments: image001.png

Hi Wendy

We received a reply from the Farren relative to our request for copy/details of their building
assessment study on Friday (see below). I was just able to speak with Rich to confirm he’d like me to
add it to our agenda tonight. Please insert the following on an Amended Agenda after item 7 (before
we discuss STM) so that Walter can also participate in the conversation.

Review response from Trinity Health New England regarding Farren Care Center

I will send this same notification to members of the Historical Commission so they are aware of this
development and to other stakeholders who’ve shown great interest in this issue including Jeff
Singleton, Lilith Wolinsky and Janel Nockleby. If you are aware of others who have been particularly
concerned about this issue, please forward it to them.

Steve

From: Eric Dana

Sent: Friday, January 7, 2022 6:30 AM
To: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator <StevenE@montague-ma.gov>
Cc: Daniel F. Keenan; Janeice L. Arwady; Janice Hamilton-Crawford
Subject: RE: Assessment Report

Good morning Steve,

We appreciate that there is distinct interested among members of the community regarding Farren
Care Center and its future.
With regard to the building assessments, they are proprietary to Trinity Health and will not be
sharing them. We have shared summary details during the town meeting and provided written
summary below.

The assessment recommendation is for full demolition.

The assessment included opinion on a strategic plan for future needs and use.

We can understand that some community members may feel that a different approach should be
taken given Farren Care Center’s long history in Turners Falls and townspeople’s emotional
connection to it.  Our team's processes have been thorough and in keeping with industry standards
for assessment, and given the condition of the building, we agree that demolition is the best option. 
We will continue to work through the appropriate processes toward demolition while maintaining
the building and grounds. We have strived to be good citizens and to partner with the town and we
feel that we are honoring our commitment.   
 Facility Condition Assessment Highlights
Report dated 8/31/2021
Scope of work:
Identify what is owned and assign a current replacement value to it
Identify what is current state of condition
Identify the estimated direct costs to maintain
Provide opinion on how to strategically plan for the future needs
Critical findings
Direct Costs – By Priority, Year, and Term
Priority 1, Year 1 (immediate) $23.8m
Priority 2, Year 2 (short-term) $260K
Priority 3, Years 3 – 5 (short-term) $3m
Priority 4, Years 6-10 (long-term) $130k
Big-ticket priority items
Severely eroded mortar joints, water infiltration damage - $1.5m
Exterior window replacement - $500k
Roof replacement - $2m
Flooring replacement throughout - $3m
Mechanical upgrades $4m
Electrical $3.9m
Plumbing upgrades - $1.7m ($250k immediate, remaining over five years)

Summary
Significant capital investment required to bring building to a proper inhabitable condition
Additional capital over-and-above would be required to renovate to a new use
Limited to no opportunity for re-investment and re-use of this building
Recommend building demolition, clean site, leave in condition ready for future development
of vacant land

Steve, as you know, our primary concerns regarding the future of this property are the health and
safety of any potential future occupants. The facts provided in Trinity Health Real Estate Division’s
assessments of the property, hazardous materials, and mechanicals clearly demonstrate that the
costs for remediation of the Farren Care Center property far exceed the costs to tear down the
building. If we could safely and cost-effectively save the building, we would do so; however, for the
benefit of the Town and everyone involved, we have determined that demolition is the most
prudent course of action. We wish to handle this as respectfully as possible, and certainly, if the
Town or County is interested in acquiring the land once the building has been razed and no longer
poses any health or safety hazards, we will approach that conversation in earnest.

We hope this information is helpful to you, the Selectboard, and your constituents.

Eric M. Dana
Regional Operations Director

2021 Albany Avenue | West Hartford, CT 06117

TrinityHealthSeniorCommunities.org | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn

From: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator <StevenE@montague-ma.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, January 5, 2022 5:18 PM
To: Janice Hamilton-Crawford <>
Cc: Daniel F. Keenan <>; Eric Dana <>; Janeice L. Arwady <>
Subject: [External] RE: Assessment Report

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button.

Thank you, Jan. I will share this with the Selectboard and other constituents.

Steve

From: Janice Hamilton-Crawford <>

Sent: Wednesday, January 5, 2022 4:31 PM
To: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator <StevenE@montague-ma.gov>
Cc: Daniel F. Keenan <>; Eric Dana <>; Janeice L. Arwady <>

Subject: RE: Assessment Report

Greetings Steve,

Happy New Year! Both the Trinity Health legal and real estate departments continue to work
through the process with all matters around the closure of Farren. As you might imagine coming
back from the holidays sent us all in a spiral with all hands on deck responding to Onicron.
However, Eric should be getting back to you as soon as possible.

2022'

Jan
Janice Hamilton-Crawford, MBA, FACHE
President, Trinity Health Of New England Senior Communities
Vice President, Strategy and Growth, Trinity Health Senior Communities
From: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator <StevenE@montague-ma.gov>
Sent: Monday, January 3, 2022 6:43 PM
To: Janice Hamilton-Crawford <>
Cc: Daniel F. Keenan <>; Eric Dana <>; Janeice L. Arwady <>
Subject: [External] RE: Assessment Report

CYBERSECURITY WARNING: This email is sent from outside of

Trinity Health.
DO NOT click on links, open attachments or share confidential information including passwords
unless you know the sender. Please report any suspicious emails using the “Report Message”
button.

Hi Jan

There is a distinct interest among members of the community regarding the issues referenced
below, which I’ve pasted back in to limit the need to scroll. Can you please tell me whether you are
now prepared to offer a reply to these questions and when it can be expected. The Selectboard
today heard a request for a public hearing on the fate of the building to which your team would be
invited and hoped-for participants.

Excerpt…
Receiving a copy of the building assessment report referenced during the presentation so that
known issues and associated costs are better understood. Our elected representatives have
also asked that I obtain this report.
Knowing whether the building assessment and your planned demolition design contemplates
(or could contemplate) abating and demolishing the newer building, but abating and leaving
standing the original facility.
Whether Trinity will consider performing the originally agreed upon redevelopment study
prior to demolishing the buildings, such that any community ascent to that action is more fully
informed than it is at present.

Thank you - Steve

From: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator

Sent: Monday, December 13, 2021 6:52 PM
To: Janice Hamilton-Crawford <>; Eric Dana
<>; Janeice L. Arwady <>; Walter Ramsey - Montague Planner <planner@montague-ma.gov>
Cc: Daniel F. Keenan <>
Subject: RE: Assessment Report
Hi Jan

Congratulations to your family – that is most certainly a wonderful occurrence!

I look forward to hearing from you or a team member in the near future. I will say that there is
tremendous interest in the community in that response and I would urge Trinity to develop it on an
expedited timeline.

Thanks - Steve

From: Janice Hamilton-Crawford <>

Sent: Wednesday, December 1, 2021 3:27 PM
To: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator <StevenE@montague-ma.gov>; Eric Dana
<>; Janeice L. Arwady <>; Walter Ramsey - Montague Planner <planner@montague-ma.gov>
Cc: Daniel F. Keenan <>
Subject: RE: Assessment Report

Steve,

Thanks for your email. Just an FYI that we, Trinity Health, is in receipt of your email. Currently, I am
out right now as my daughter had a second grandson for me, Hamilton James Foster, on Tuesday,
11/23! However, Eric is working to get our Trinity team on the calendar to have internal
conversations and get a response back to you. It should be within the next couple of weeks.

Thanks,

JAN

From: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator <StevenE@montague-ma.gov>

Sent: Tuesday, November 30, 2021 4:14 PM
To: Janeice L. Arwady <>; Janice Hamilton-Crawford <>; Eric Dana <>
Cc: Walter Ramsey - Montague Planner <planner@montague-ma.gov>
Subject: [External] RE: Assessment Report

Warning: This email originated from the Internet!

DO NOT CLICK links if the sender is unknown, and NEVER provide your password. Hello
Janeice, Jan, and Eric,
I hope this email finds you well. Discussion of Trinity’s plans for the Farren Care Center site
continued this at this Monday’s Selectboard meeting. Several members of the community and
Montague City neighborhood appeared and requested that Trinity be more transparent with the
reports that informed the decision to pursue demolition, and asked that the current demolition plan
be paused, during which time Trinity would work with the Town to conduct a more thorough
investigation of the feasibility of abating and preserving the original Farren building, and of the
potential market demand for such a building.

The Selectboard directed me to bring this request to your attention for a formal response. Members
of the Board noted their appreciation for Trinity’s willingness to work in a responsible fashion and
for the financial commitments you are making relative to demolition, but acknowledges that the
redevelopment study process was not what was expected and so options for selective re-use of the
original building, for example, may not have been well considered. These concerns are compounded
by the fact that you’ve not  provided any level of information in writing relative to the basis for the
redevelopment costs as orally presented, in particular.

I believe Jan referenced the due date for demolition design bids was December 9. This has added
some urgency to the questions I’d presented last week (below), which are echoed in this message.
Because it happens that I will be away December 1-10 I am cc’ing Walter Ramsey, with whom Jan
has worked in the past. I will ask that any response be directed to his attention as well as mine.

Respectfully,

Steve

From: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator <StevenE@montague-ma.gov>

Sent: Monday, November 22, 2021 1:22 PM
To: Janeice L. Arwady <>; Janice Hamilton-Crawford <>
Cc: WendyB-Montague Selectboard <WendyB@montague-ma.gov>; Eric Dana <> Subject: RE:
Assessment Report

Hi Janeice, Jan and Eric

I wanted to follow up on my request for a copy of Trinity’s building assessment study of the Farren.
Jan may have shared with you that her presentation to the Selectboard three weeks ago revealed
concern amongst some attending community members regarding the proposed demolition.
Subsequent inquiries have focused on the following public interests:

Receiving a copy of the building assessment report referenced during the presentation so that
known issues and associated costs are better understood. Our elected representatives have
also asked that I obtain this report.
Knowing whether the building assessment and your planned demolition design contemplates
(or could contemplate) abating and demolishing the newer building, but abating and leaving
 standing the original facility.
Whether Trinity will consider performing the originally agreed upon redevelopment study
prior to demolishing the buildings, such that any community ascent to that action is more fully
informed than it is at present.

The Selectboard will take this topic up again next Monday night and you are welcome to attend if
you would like to chime in on the discussion. Please just let Wendy and I know and we can note it on
the agenda, which will be posted at: https://www.montague-ma.gov/calendar.

Thanks for your response. I hope you all have the chance to enjoy a relaxing Thanksgiving with
people you enjoy!

Steve

From: StevenE - Montague Town Administrator

Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2021 12:39 PM
To: Janeice L. Arwady <>
Subject: Assessment Report

HI Janeice

I forgot to ask. Can I get a copy of the building condition assessment? And if it doesn’t include the
name of the firm that did the work, can you tell me who that is and what they charged?

I’m about to release an RFP for these services and I have the sense that there are huge variations in
quality/depth of these studies. I’m looking for standards to build into my RFP for what will be several
smaller buildings.

Thanks - Steve

Steven Ellis
Montague Town Administrator
One Avenue A
Turners Falls, MA 01376
413-863-3200 x110
www.montague-ma.gov

Pronouns: Him/His (or just call me Steve)

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email.

Confidentiality Notice:
This e-mail, including any attachments is the property of Trinity Health and is intended for the sole
use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain information that is privileged and confidential.  Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended
recipient, please delete this message, and reply to the sender regarding the error in a separate
email.

Confidentiality Notice:
This e-mail, including any attachments is the property of Trinity Health and is intended for the sole
use of the intended recipient(s). It may contain information that is privileged and confidential.  Any
unauthorized review, use, disclosure, or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended
recipient, please delete this message, and reply to the sender regarding the error in a separate
email.