Wet Weather Not Deterring Public Works Building Construction

Recent bouts of wet weather and some setbacks have not deterred the on going construction of the new Ellwood City Public Works building according to Dan Franus, the architect behind the new building.

The decades-old Public Works building on Sixth Street, behind CVS Pharmacy, had been deemed too dangerous for workers and was scheduled for demolition in 2016. In hopes of building a new Publics Works building in its place, the Ellwood City Council took out a $9 million bond, it had been issued in November of 2016 to begin the new build. The bond was used to cover not only the cost of this project, but the construction of a new electric department building, the purchase of a new fire truck, and other expenditures.

“The new Public Works Building is being built on a site which required much preparation prior to above ground construction being seen. Wet weather conditions slowed down the process but Fleeher Construction, the general contractor on the project, has been a determined and very tenacious contractor,” Franus said about the chosen general contractor Fleeher Contracting.

A color rendering of the 6th street side of the Public Works Building

EllwoodCity.org recently sat down with Franus, to discuss the buildings progress.

Previous job halts included soil contamination issues, a decision in January to drop the new electric building project, and in May, the discovery more work was going to be needed to upgrade the sewage system around the building which took the council until July to decide how to proceed. The predicted end date of early March has been pushed back to sometime during the 2019 summer season.

On a positive progress note, Franus said that the base foundations and footers have been laid, with the masonry walls expect to be next even though weather has not been on the workers side.

“He (Fleeher Contracting) has not let the wet weather, or the unpredictability of the duration of the wet weather, stop him from completing the foundations for the building,” Franus said.

Locally-based Blank Concrete & Supply will also work in the completion of the concrete foundation.

The 26,000 square foot building will hold housing for local contracting company’s dump trucks and pick up trucks. There will be enough space for all trucks to park inside the building. In addition to the accommodating space, Franus was proud to note of the efficient lighting that will be a part of the new build.

“The building exceeds energy efficient requirements for state LED lighting,” said Franus.

Along with truck housing there will be: storage for job materials, plumping and carpeting areas, oil management, tool storage, a washing area, and a welding area. For employees there will be locker rooms with an emergency shower, AC, a data room, a gas saving inferred heating system, and an auto-monoxide dispenser on the ceiling. The building itself is to have full instillation.