As work on West Windsor’s senior center project moved ahead this winter, officials discovered issues with the structure that needed to be repaired — separately from the expansion project.##M:[more]##
Officials found that the exterior siding needed to be repaired, and that other work was needed, including the extension of the roof eaves and replacement of gutters.
In response, Council approved a change order to the original contract with Tri-Form Construction Inc. of Metuchen this month. The total of the contract increased by $84,”740 to $1.289 million.
“As construction was underway and the contractor was able to get a better look at the existing building, some of these issues came to light,” said Business Administrator Chris Marion. “The addition could have been completed under the existing contract. This was an additional provision to the contract, but it made sense from a financial perspective while you have the contractor on site and working on the building.”
The township broke ground on the first phase of the project at the township’s senior center in August. The first phase of construction includes renovations to the existing building, five additional classroom or meeting rooms, bathrooms, and more storage space.
A $500,”000 grant from the county, through County Executive Brian Hughes; a $100,”000 grant through Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein; and $50,”000 from the state Department of Community Affairs helped fund the project, with the rest coming from township funding.
Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh says he expects the first phase of the expansion project will be completed by July. Hsueh said that he hopes the township will see the second phase of construction begin in 2010.
