Abandoned Silo in Martha’s Vineyard to be Repurposed as Cell Tower

If you haven’t already noticed, concealed towers are becoming more and more popular with communities concerned with aesthetics. Edgartown, Massachusetts, is one of those communities and they have just finalized a lease with AT&T to repurpose an abandoned silo into a cell tower. AT&T will pay Edgartown a base fee of $28,000 annually for 10 years, with an option to renew for up to 30 years. It’s not all smooth sailing from here though, as AT&T has some concerns about the structural integrity of the abandoned silo. A report submitted to the town conservation commission details these concerns. According to the consultant’s report, the structure is not built to withstand the high wind load it’s required to meet. “The only solution at the site is to completely dismantle and remove the existing structure and replace it with a new structure engineered to meet your 120 miles per hour wind load, using the existing footer and foundation,” the inspection report reads in part. It’s not yet clear how the company will proceed.