Crawford mayor happy with remodel progress
Crawford Mayor Susie Steckel said on Tuesday, Oct. 23, she is happy after Monday's walk through and final punch list at town hall. The mayor, town clerk Jackie Savage and Don Ludwig of public works found that all the windows now open and close properly.
Some handles for the windows are missing but are on order. Touch-up painting will be completed. The doors which were exit-only doors now open and close properly. "Everything is good," Steckel said. The one-year guarantee will start once the handles and touch-up painting is completed.
Tom Chamberlain, architect for the project, attended the Oct. 17 work session to talk about the early punch list and the frustration it had caused the town council and staff, and to explain Phase II of the renovation.
Chamberlain said it was a mistake to call for a final punch list in early October before the work was completed. "But in the end it worked really well," he said. "Because we got lots of people looking very carefully at the windows and developing a really good punch list."
At the time of the work session, Chamberlain said the workers were completing their work and "doing a real good job" on the windows. "The ones that were sticking are working now. The air leaks have been fixed to the best they can be fixed." He said the doors were "beautiful and working really well." He noted that at that time there was no operating latch on the outside of the doors. On Tuesday Steckel said that had been fixed. Chamberlain said they would make the door latch stay open mechanically. No other thumb latch will be needed on the outside of the door. The door can just be pulled open when the latch is locked open.
His conclusion was, "I like the way it's coming together."
Chamberlain said the concrete cap on the eastern rock wall is not complete yet because, after analysis, the original concrete "was a real dismal mix. It was something so bad, it was amazing it held together as long as it did. It's such a bad mix, it's almost impossible to get it to stick together when we're making it. Obviously we weren't going to pour your cap out of something that's just going to fall apart." They are working to make a stronger concrete that still looks historic.
The tower now has new shingles.
Chamberlain said, "Hats off," to those who put together the ADA grant. It was great timing to add handicap parking and railings in time for the election.
"Despite a few vandalism issues, I think we got through it okay," Chamberlain said. The vandalism was witnessed by trustee Larry Kontour. Kids jumped into the freshly poured concrete. The vandals were caught and the town wants to pursue charges. The concrete was repaired.
Jackie Savage said the new concrete worked great during a recent rainstorm. The water drained properly away from the building.
In discussing plans for Phase II, there is nothing different from what was decided previously. The entire heating system for the building will be redone with low profile hot water baseboards.
The stairways to basement-level restrooms will be removed. There will be an ADA-compliant men's and women's bathroom. A historic classroom will remain upstairs. The American Legion will continue to have a room upstairs and it will include a lockable closet. There will be a storage room for tables and chairs. The upstairs will have a commercial kitchen and a spacious community room.
Downstairs, the town offices and council room will remain with a new lobby area and an ADA-compliant restroom. There will be a new access to the basement from the first floor by punching through the current restrooms.
The contractor will coordinate with town staff on when work, including electrical, plumbing and heating work is done requiring staff to vacate their offices. Staff will work upstairs during times the first floor is being done.
There is an issue with the structural integrity of the roof. It requires structural engineering to be done. "It really, really is remarkable [the roof] is still standing," Chamberlain said. That work can be done independently while working on other things. The cost to do the roof has already been included in the cost estimates, Susan Hansen of Friends of Crawford Town Hall said. It will cost approximately $25,000 for the roof.
Phase II will cost $600,000. Hansen said they are hoping to receive more funds from the Department of Local Affairs. No work will start on Phase II until all the money has been raised. Phase II needs to be done altogether because the work effects both the upstairs and downstairs. The grant money will be available in 2014. They have until April 2013 to apply for those funds.
Mayor Steckel said, "If it hadn't been for Susan [Hansen], I don't think this project would have even begun."
Hansen will meet with the State Historical Society and DOLA to figure out how to best apply for the remaining grants.
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