MONTAGUE — The Parks and Recreation Department received Selectboard approval to put $5,000 from an account dedicated to unanticipated engineering costs toward the task of estimating how much it will cost for a partial preservation of the former blacksmith shop at 12 Station St.

Parks and Recreation Director Jon Dobosz updated the Selectboard this week about the progress architects with Metcalfe Associates Architecture of Northampton have made in the first part of the building assessment. The former blacksmith shop is currently used for cold storage by the Department of Public Works and the Parks and Recreation Department, with picnic tables and waste receptacles being kept there.

The first task — to have the architects make site visits to document existing conditions on the interior and exterior of the building — was finished over the summer.

“It sounds like they feel the building is structurally in pretty good shape,” Dobosz said. “The building wall frame and roof are in relatively sound condition [with] no serious failing elements.”

The next step will determine the likely cost of partial preservation, by which certain parts of the building will be removed and others kept, per the recommendation of Metcalfe Associates Architecture.

While the structure is sound, cosmetic issues exist. Deteriorating stucco, walls, windows and doors all need to be addressed, along with flooring issues. Despite the cosmetic issues, Dobosz said Metcalfe Associates Architecture “strongly recommends” repurposing the building.

In an interview, Dobosz explained this building is within the Montague Center Historic District, meaning the town Historical Commission is also involved with the project.

The commission met on Sept. 30 to discuss the findings of Metcalfe Associates Architecture’s initial building assessment. The full report explains that one portion of the building was built in 1890 and the larger section was added in the 1930s.

Although Dobosz said he is unsure what the structure might be used for in the future, ideas of a carport or a public restroom facility have been floated. Once a cost estimate for partial preservation is in hand, plans for the building’s future will be further discussed. A timeline is unclear.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.