The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Town Hall/police station project could begin this fall
EAST HAMPTON — Construction of the new town hall/police station could begin as early as this fall.
The Town Council was given that assessment this week during a quarterly report on the $18.98 million project. It was delivered by Lisa Motto, customer project manager for the project, as well as co-owner — with her husband — of the 5.4acre property on which the new facility will be built.
Motto attended the council meeting in the company of Glenn Gollenberg, chairman of the Town Facilities Building Committee, which is overseeing the project.
“We hope to break ground in early September,” she told the council.
In response to a question from Councilor Josh Piteo about when residents will see iron support beams climbing up into the sky, Motto said, “The goal is the have the foundations done
before the end of November.”
That usually marks the end of the construction season. If that timetable can be met, Motto said the support beams could be in place in December.
Motto also said the project architects, Armenta Emma, have completed the schematic design for the proposal, and the estimated cost “is still right on budget.” The design development phase of the project has also been completed and is being gone over by “two estimators,” Motto said. “We’re awaiting those estimates to come back.”
According to Business Dictionary, the design development is “a transitional phase of an architect/engineer services in which the design moves from the schematic phase to the contract document phase.”
“In this phase, the A/E prepares drawings and other presentation documents to crystallize the design concept and describe it in terms of architectural, electrical, mechanical, and structural systems. In addition, the A/E also prepares a statement of the probable project cost,” the website states.
Meanwhile, the revised version of the traffic plan for the project has been submitted to the Office of the State Traffic Authority, Motto said. “We expect to have that approval by midJuly.”
The building committee has also been reviewing “some of the finishes that have been discussed for the building.”
During its most recent meeting, the building committee worked with Rob Adams, interior designer for Amenta Emma.
“He had with him carpet samples, possible materials for doors/wainscoting, floor and bathroom wall tile, paint color swatches, laminate samples, and a wall covering (for) an accent wall,” Motto said.
The committee also reversed itself and approved “a vestibule for the door that leads from the outside into the community room.”
Committee members came to “believe that, especially at night and during the winter, this door will be utilized,” according to the minutes of the committee meeting.