Edgartown officials are moving forward with an appraisal of the current Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club as the town considers purchasing the property. 

The select board voted last week to proceed with the assessment for the property off Robinson Road. The town has the right of first refusal for purchasing the existing facility once construction on a new boys and girls club is complete. 

That provision was part of an agreement formed in 2020 when the club purchased town-owned land for the new facility, which had a ground breaking ceremony in July. At the select board meeting on Dec. 15, boys and girls club chair Norman Rankow said construction is on track to wrap up by January 2027.

“As of last week, in concert with our builder, we feel confident that we should be able to hit that,” Mr. Rankow told the select board. 

Based on projections Mr. Rankow said the club anticipates it would need funds from selling the existing facility by the summer. The cost has not been determined.

“We are counting on all those funds to help fulfill the total cost of the project,” he said. 

Edgartown town administrator James Hagerty told the select board that if the board did want to put buying the clubhouse to voters, the deadlines for the April town meeting warrant are approaching. He also noted that the club purchase would come as voters consider a hefty price tag for the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School project.

The town could use the boys and girls club for several different purposes, if it does opt to buy the property, Mr. Hagerty said in an interview. 

One possibility Mr. Hagerty mentioned was to turn the facility into a new council on aging, since the existing building on Water street is unequipped to host the town’s rapidly growing elderly community. 

Edgartown could also use the building as a homebase for the parks department due to its close proximity to the new Robinson Road recreation area, which has yet to break ground.

Construction for the new recreation area was scheduled for the end of August, but was delayed due to a shortfall in funds. Voters approved $4.5 million for the project at this past spring’s annual town meeting.

The missing funds put site plans for a building with public bathrooms and office spaces for the parks department up in the air. 

Select board member Art Smadbeck voiced support for moving the acquisition of the boys and girls club facility along.

“I think we should definitely move ahead with an appraisal and begin to at least see if we can get our ducks in a row,” Mr. Smadbeck said.