At the New Canaan Board of Selectmen meeting Tuesday morning, a number of projects lined up for completion through the end of the summer and a couple big-ticket items were approved to get underway, including the beginning of the Town Hall construction.
The biggest announcement for projects was the acceptance of a $663,585 contract with Standard Demolition Services, Inc., for the salvage, selective demolition and abatement of the Town Hall building.
"Hallelujah," said First Selectman Robert Mallozzi III after the contact was accepted unanimously. "We've actually started doing some work on Town Hall!"
The first phase of the building includes salvaging and maintaining the front of the building, the abatement of lead paint and asbestos in the building, which all needs to be remediated. The demolition of the rear of the building may happen as part of Phase I or at a later date, it has yet to be decided.
"I think it's very exciting we're actually getting some stuff done," said Selectman Beth Jones.
Officials said they believed it would be a relatively short time between the demolition portion and construction portion of the project.
Other approved projects included the awarding of a contract to Mill River Tree Service for the trimming of trees at various locations around town. Mill River Tree Service was actually the second lowest bidder, but the town felt uncomfortable awarding a contract to the lowest bidder, who had a couple projects still in the works without completion around town.
The New Canaan High School and Saxe Middle School will undergo sealing of cracked parking lot areas, which was anticipated to be completed by August 26, with lots being opened or closed on a rotating schedule in the meantime.
A train station railing and retaining wall that failed and was allowing water to get into the concrete and cause it to bulge was approved for repair by Peter Lanni, Inc., with a project cost of $10,880.
The lower half of the Elm Street Railroad Commuter Parking Lot will undergo a facelift from Deering Construction, also with a completion date of approximately August 26, with a total project cost of $245,822.50.
Finally, work should start to repair the floor of the firehouse while further tests are run to search for asbestos in the building.
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