SOUTHINGTON — The library building project is moving ahead, now having gone out to bid on an electrical switchgear, the first step towards the anticipated groundbreaking later this year. The $112,436 piece of equipment is a vital component of the building. The installation of several building systems require the switchgear, which controls and protects electrical infrastructure, to be to brought in first. Keeping in mind extensive supply chain delays, contractors went out to bid on it well ahead of when construction begins, as it will take over a year before it arrives.  “It gets that 54-week clock started,” said Tim Kostuk, the construction manager on the project with Whiting-Turner.  Town officials are also beginning to reach out to nearby businesses to make use of their additional parking spaces to accommodate all the workers that will need to be on-site during the construction process. The nearby Southington Care Center was first considered because of its large number of parking spaces. Colite Dentistry and several other businesses to the south of the library property are also under consideration.   At the most recent library building committee meeting, held Wednesday, members of the committee also discussed putting a camera up on the roof of the adjacent Derynoski Elementary School to create a montage of the construction process in the interest of documentation and public information.  The committee is also continuing to make minor changes to the project to save money ahead of its next presentation to the Town Council on March 13. One adjustment is switching the building to a universal water heater, as opposed to the smaller individual units that were planned for each bathroom sink. It will save the project just under $3,000, along with expenses, and contractors feel it will ultimately be less maintenance than the individual units.  The committee decided against using a fully electric generator for the building because they considered the savings to be minimal and the technology less reliable than a standard gas generator. Some board members consider the electric generators little more than a gimmick. If the power shorts out, board members said, there would be less load with a gas generator as backup.  “You’ve got to stay away from electric,” said committee member Ralph Warner, who runs a plumbing and heating business by trade. “I’ve got electricians buying up generators (because) they’re getting ready for the power grid to go down with all the stuff that’s been happening. So stay with gas.”  Contractors are also in talks with the utility Eversource to seek rebates that could bring about additional project savings. In spite of the cost-saving measures, the project still is anticipated to remain over its earmarked $17 million budget by more than $200,000. The committee will be presenting its budget items again before the Town Council later this month.  “It will be a busy month,” Town Manager Mark Sciota said. “The final preliminary budget, if that’s the term I can use, is still going to be about $200,000 [over], which is technically on the high side.” cmetzger@record-journal.com

SOUTHINGTON — The library building project is moving ahead, now having gone out to bid on an electrical switchgear, the first step towards the anticipated groundbreaking later this year.

The $112,436 piece of equipment is a vital component of the building. The installation of several building systems require the switchgear, which controls and protects electrical infrastructure, to be to brought in first. Keeping in mind extensive supply chain delays, contractors went out to bid on it well ahead of when construction begins, as it will take over a year before it arrives. 

“It gets that 54-week clock started,” said Tim Kostuk, the construction manager on the project with Whiting-Turner. 

Town officials are also beginning to reach out to nearby businesses to make use of their additional parking spaces to accommodate all the workers that will need to be on-site during the construction process. The nearby Southington Care Center was first considered because of its large number of parking spaces. Colite Dentistry and several other businesses to the south of the library property are also under consideration.  

At the most recent library building committee meeting, held Wednesday, members of the committee also discussed putting a camera up on the roof of the adjacent Derynoski Elementary School to create a montage of the construction process in the interest of documentation and public information. 

The committee is also continuing to make minor changes to the project to save money ahead of its next presentation to the Town Council on March 13. One adjustment is switching the building to a universal water heater, as opposed to the smaller individual units that were planned for each bathroom sink. It will save the project just under $3,000, along with expenses, and contractors feel it will ultimately be less maintenance than the individual units. 

The committee decided against using a fully electric generator for the building because they considered the savings to be minimal and the technology less reliable than a standard gas generator. Some board members consider the electric generators little more than a gimmick. If the power shorts out, board members said, there would be less load with a gas generator as backup. 

“You’ve got to stay away from electric,” said committee member Ralph Warner, who runs a plumbing and heating business by trade. “I’ve got electricians buying up generators (because) they’re getting ready for the power grid to go down with all the stuff that’s been happening. So stay with gas.” 

Contractors are also in talks with the utility Eversource to seek rebates that could bring about additional project savings. In spite of the cost-saving measures, the project still is anticipated to remain over its earmarked $17 million budget by more than $200,000. The committee will be presenting its budget items again before the Town Council later this month. 

“It will be a busy month,” Town Manager Mark Sciota said. “The final preliminary budget, if that’s the term I can use, is still going to be about $200,000 [over], which is technically on the high side.”

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