As of their recent February meeting, the Borough of Ellwood City’s new public works building now has 100% all of its roofing work completed as well as 100% of the masonry work completed, according to Dan Franus, of Franus Architectural Associates, the architect behind the new 26,000 square-foot building behind constructed behind CVS Pharmacy.
The fascia work is also 100% complete. Their overhead door installation is currently at 90%; all doors are installed, they are just working on the motorization of them. The office area is 80% drywalled and the metal ceiling is 50% up. In the realms of interior progress, the buildings plumbing and electrical work are all over 90% complete, helping push the workers to their goal to be finished by early May.
“[The building should be] finished in the next two and a half months. End of April, beginning of May,” Franus said.
The decades-old former building on Sixth Street had been deemed too dangerous for workers and was scheduled for demolition in 2016. In hopes of building a new Public 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.
Last October, the base foundations and footers had been laid, and with wet weather conditions at the time, everything was placed on hold. However, since that time, construction from the foundation up has continued and placed the project back on schedule. [VIEW FULL ARTICLE]
The project has forced closure of Glen Avenue which travels south past the new building lot and may stay closed a bit longer according to Franus.
Franus advised it was originally closed due to the water company running water lines, but now they are waiting for the gas company to run their gas lines as well.
Even with winter’s bitter cold and recent harsh winds, the workers from Fleeher Construction, the general contractor on the project, have not to be deterred from finishing what they have started.
Maybe they could reopen the road then…. Only the government gets to close a road for months to construct a 2 story building…