Irwin OKs $148K in changes for building project

Irwin council this week approved another round of unanticipated costs for converting a former storefront in a century-old building into modern municipal offices, resulting in a project delay of about four months.

On Wednesday, the council approved approximately $148,000 in additional spending to convert the former appliance store into accessible administrative offices for the borough and police department at 424 Main St.

The approval extends the project’s completion date from mid-December to April 9. The largest change orders approved were:

• Graham Construction Co. of Claysville will receive an extra $116,542 to complete revisions that include three new exterior doors, resurfacing and leveling the lower-level police department floor, altering walls and redoing other work.

• Graham Construction will also be paid an additional $27,807 for revisions to resurfacing the first floor of the building.

• Westmoreland Electric Services Inc. of East Huntingdon was approved for a $3,340 payment for a change order related to rewiring the police department’s rear entrance.

Three council members on the building committee, along with representatives from Graham Construction and architect Scott Maritzer of Civil & Environmental Consultants Inc. of Monroeville, met to discuss the revisions.

Both Maritzer and Councilman Tyler Baum said the delay was justified given the complexity of the work, noting that the general contractor must coordinate the return of multiple subcontractors.

The approval of the additional costs was a reversal of the council’s objections during a Nov. 3 meeting. At that workshop, the council had unanimously rejected the $27,807 estimate for first-floor resurfacing, tabled the $116,542 request, and rejected a $12,000 change order for exterior lighting.

Regarding the $116,542 charge, Baum said the cost of the change order, which includes additional items, “is a big one to swallow.”

“I was ready not to vote for this,” said Councilman Shawn Stitely, a building committee member, “but this is an old building.”

The exterior doors were not included in the original bid because officials thought the existing doors could be reused. However, it was later discovered that the doors would not comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act due to variations in floor elevation.

Council last week approved a $5,500 bill from Civil & Environmental Consultants for designing the project revisions in the police department. They also previously rejected Westmoreland Electric’s bid for an additional $9,000 for lighting the front of the building, arguing there was already sufficient illumination.

The revisions were necessary to complete the project and ensure it is safe and compliant with ADA requirements, Baum said. When completed, he believes the project will make residents proud.