By Adam Swift
On Tuesday, Acting Mayor Patrick Keefe took a final walk through Revere’s new Department of Public Works facility before it is expected to open early next month.
For Revere’s Chief of Infrastructure and Engineering Don Ciaramella, the new 38,000-square-foot facility is a far cry from the DPW facility he and his fellow DPW workers tried to make the most of for decades.
“When I was first made superintendent of the water and sewer department, I came down here and I looked in and I saw everybody under blue tarps and umbrellas,” said Ciaramella. “I threw a ladder up against the side of the building and I went up to the roof, they had no roof. I came back down the ladder and I yelled in, ‘Hey guys, I know why your roof is leaking, you don’t have one.’”
Both Ciaramella and Keefe said those days are over, with Revere set to open the new state-of-the-art facility they said will enable the DPW to serve the community more efficiently and effectively while ensuring a sustainable and resilient future.
“The opening of our new DPW facility is a significant step forward for our city,” said Keefe. “It reflects our commitment to providing high-quality services to our residents and ensuring the long-term sustainability of our infrastructure. This modern facility will enable our DPW team to work more efficiently and safely, ultimately benefiting the entire community.”
During the walk through, Ciaramella highlighted a facility that boasts a modern administrative headquarters equipped with the latest technology to streamline operations and communications. He said this will enable the DPW to respond quickly to resident needs and manage resources more effectively.
The new DPW facility includes dedicated areas for vehicle maintenance and repair, ensuring that the city’s fleet of vehicles and equipment are always in top condition and ready to tackle any task, Ciaramella added.
Currently, even the most basic maintenance tasks are difficult to handle on site.
The new 38,000-square-foot building is about twice the size of the old DPW building, providing more room for equipment storage and improved stormwater management systems. This will enable the DPW to respond to emergencies promptly and maintain the city’s infrastructure more effectively, according to Ciaramella.
Between the increased storage area and maintenance area, the city will be able to better maintain its investment in trucks and equipment, with all its major pieces of equipment in one place.
Keefe pointed out Revere’s commitment to sustainability in the facility’s design, with energy-efficient lighting, and eco-friendly building materials.
Safety is also a top priority, and the new facility includes improved safety features for DPW employees, such as updated locker rooms, equipment, and a laundry area.
There is also a new salt shed on the property constructed of concrete that will help keep it from eroding and is about twice as large as the city’s previous salt shed.
Ciaramella praised the efforts of the contractors and the city in getting the project completed, noting that construction went off without a hitch, and with the city maximizing the use of space on Charger Street.
