Irwin office conversion costs rise; mural considered for side of building

Irwin Borough officials are finding the cost of converting a former storefront into administrative offices is running about $75,000 more than the $1.1 million in contracts initially awarded.

Contractors began working on the conversion of the former Rosendahl’s Appliance Center storefront at 424 Main St. early this summer. The project is scheduled to be finished in December, said Shari Martino, borough manager.

The borough decided in December to terminate its lease with Rosendahl’s Appliance Center as of March 31 so it could occupy the ground floor of the building for its administrative offices. Renovated space will house the police department in the rear of the structure.

Rosendahl’s owner Gary Proctor has moved his business across Main Street to the site of a former restaurant.

The borough in June awarded about $1.1 million in contracts for the project, including asbestos removal work that was necessary before the remodeling could begin.

Civil & Environmental Consultants of Monroeville, the designer for the project, was approved for an $11,500 payment last month to design the modifications for the police station. That work includes changing the layout of the holding cell area, recessed lighting, drywall ceilings, an overnight dropoff drawer system and wall type changes to the police department area.

The council last month approved a $10,885 change order from Westmoreland Electric Services LLC of East Huntingdon for modifications to the police department in the rear of the building. The contractor added 41 puck lights, which are small oval LED lights with a focused beam, while eliminating the installation of 13 design fixtures. Dimming capabilities will be added to five wall-mounted occupancy sensors. A light-dimming cable will be installed to dim the lights on the Main Street office.

The cost of adding the 41 lights would be offset by a credit for eliminating the 13 design fixtures, Martino said.

Westmoreland Electric also will be paid $5,315 to modify the design to install and supply the lights to illuminate the Irwin Borough sign on the front of the building.

Graham Construction Co. of Claysville, the general contractor for the project, will be paid $19,375 for the modifications to the revised drawings for the project, excluding the exterior doors and holding cage at the police department.

Reliant Systems LLC of Irwin will be paid $13,240 for security cameras in the building. Trifecta Team LLC of New Kensington was approved for a $2,988 change order to remove and demolish raised flooring in the building.

Signs By Tomorrow of Greensburg will be paid no more than $3,200 for the borough building signs on the Main Street facade and the hanging sign.

J.C. Helman Masonary LLC was awarded a $3,200 contract for stonework in the front of the building for a support pole.

Ghost I.T. Solutions of Bethel Park was hired this month to install information technology services on the first floor of the renovated administrative offices at a cost of $5,088.

Councilman Tyler Baum said there was some discussion about having a mural painted on the side of the building that could be seen from Western Avenue in the rear of the structure.

Baum said he contacted Cody Sabol, a 2013 Norwin High School graduate who has a reputation as a speed painter, to do the project. Sabol would provide the borough with a sketch of a mural for consideration by the borough. Any painting of the building would not be done until the second phase of the project, Baum said.