Date: Fri 15-Sep-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Town-Hall-South-renovation

Full Text:

Town Hall South Bids Exceed Expectations

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Bids for the renovation of Town Hall South have come in significantly higher

than town officials hoped.

The low bidder, Clearheart Construction of Bethel, had a base bid of $758,000.

There were also eight alternate proposals, including asphalt paving repair,

window replacement and rubber flooring, which would bring the total project up

to $893,385.

The other bidders were Filinski Construction of Shelton, with bids of

$838,400, or $904,714 with all alternates, and Hawley Company of Danbury,

$888,000 and $945,000.

"The bids certainly came in higher than we expected," First Selectman Bob

Cascella said. "John Madzula, the architect, and I will get together to

discuss the bids and see what our options are. We now have a real number to

work with. Up to this point, we could only guess."

Last year the Legislative Council, on the recommendation of its Finance

Committee, set aside $250,000 in the capital reserve account to finance the

renovations which originally were limited mostly to new siding and the

correction of drainage problems which had caused flooding inside the building.

Later town officials expanded the scope of the project by a pitched roof and

new windows more in keeping with the historic character of Main Street and a

small addition created by enclosing the existing parking ramp and an open

space beneath it. They hoped the bids would come in around $500,000.

"We will have to bring the bid forward and make some decisions," Mr Cascella

said. "Should we spent close to $1 million to fix this building? We have to do

something to look at alternatives. The building is continuing to deteriorate

and will reach the point of being uninhabitable - then where will I put the

people?"

The first selectman said there probably are 15 people working in the police

department and 30 in the town offices downstairs on an average day.

Mr Cascella said the alternatives might be expanding Edmond Town Hall, using a

building at Fairfield Hills or finding another location. The scope of the

renovation project also could be reduced by eliminating the addition but that

would be "unfortunate," he said.

"The cost of ripping off the deck, of demolishing it, would be incredible,

particularly if we need to expand it in the future. It makes much more sense

to add the space now."

Town officials decided last year that building and code renovations were

needed because the leaking roof, deteriorating siding and periodic flooding

had damaged town records and were creating an eyesore on Main Street. A

committee made up of Mr Cascella, Public Works Director Fred Hurley and

Legislative Council members Win Ballard and Joe Borst have been overseeing the

planning.