Post by novillero on Jul 17, 2008 8:27:08 GMT -5
Freeholders move to shore up Hall of Records
Landmark building is settling
By Bob Jordan • FREEHOLD BUREAU • July 17, 2008
FREEHOLD — The downtown landmark building that serves as the center of the Monmouth County government leans to the right.
Republicans have controlled the government for the past 20 years, but that's not why.
The Hall of Records, which has sections that date back to the 1800s, tilts because settling has occurred, county officials said. Engineers have attached meters to structural cracks, but report that little movement has been measured in the last several months.
Still, officials said they aren't taking any chances. They have ordered up an $89,000 architectural services contract with LAN Associates for stabilizing and underpinning the southeast corner of the building.
The Midland Park firm, the lowest of four bidders, also will provide plans for rebuilding the front entrance, where plywood is being used to replace decorative glass plates above the doorway. The plates cracked a while back because of settling, Freeholder Barbara J. McMorrow said.
A construction contract for the fixes, including rebuilding the front steps, will be awarded separately.
At the twice-monthly freeholder meetings, most of which take place in the Hall of Records, McMorrow has peppered county Buildings and Grounds Department officials with safety questions related to the tilt, visible from outside the front of the building. McMorrow is a Democrat.
The five-member freeholder board voted unanimously last week on the LAN Associates contract. McMorrow said she feels "more secure" now that the building will be shored up.
"I've been concerned not only because a large number of employees work in or otherwise use the building — there's also many members of the public who come in," McMorrow said. "It really is a public safety issue, and hopefully it will be taken care of."
McMorrow said she also is looking forward to seeing cosmetic improvements to the front entrance, but added, "I'd rather have it safe than pretty."
County spokesman William K. Heine said an estimated cost for the entrance construction and underpinning work hasn't been generated yet.
At the same time, work on the old building's majestic clock tower is taking place as part of renovations to the second floor. The building at 1 E. Main St. stands three stories and contains the courtroom and chambers of Judge Thomas W. Cavanaugh Jr. and various county government administrative offices, county Tax Board operations, and the offices of the county surrogate.
Heine said workers currently are "stripping (the clock tower) of lead paint and renovating the entire cupola. They are putting on new siding, repairing a leak and replacing the tin roof."
The entire cost for work on the cupola and second-floor administrator's area is $459,000, Heine said. The contractor is Santorini Construction Inc. of Neptune.
Santorini Construction won the contract in December, seven months after the county canceled its contract with another firm after costs for work on the Hall of Records soared to $8.097 million, $320,000 over budget. That initial renovation project by the Benjamin R. Harvey Co. of Ocean Township began in late 2002 and was supposed to have been finished in 2005.
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Bob Jordan: (732) 308-7755 or bjordan@app.com
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080717/NEWS/807170546/-1/&source=nletter-news
Landmark building is settling
By Bob Jordan • FREEHOLD BUREAU • July 17, 2008
FREEHOLD — The downtown landmark building that serves as the center of the Monmouth County government leans to the right.
Republicans have controlled the government for the past 20 years, but that's not why.
The Hall of Records, which has sections that date back to the 1800s, tilts because settling has occurred, county officials said. Engineers have attached meters to structural cracks, but report that little movement has been measured in the last several months.
Still, officials said they aren't taking any chances. They have ordered up an $89,000 architectural services contract with LAN Associates for stabilizing and underpinning the southeast corner of the building.
The Midland Park firm, the lowest of four bidders, also will provide plans for rebuilding the front entrance, where plywood is being used to replace decorative glass plates above the doorway. The plates cracked a while back because of settling, Freeholder Barbara J. McMorrow said.
A construction contract for the fixes, including rebuilding the front steps, will be awarded separately.
At the twice-monthly freeholder meetings, most of which take place in the Hall of Records, McMorrow has peppered county Buildings and Grounds Department officials with safety questions related to the tilt, visible from outside the front of the building. McMorrow is a Democrat.
The five-member freeholder board voted unanimously last week on the LAN Associates contract. McMorrow said she feels "more secure" now that the building will be shored up.
"I've been concerned not only because a large number of employees work in or otherwise use the building — there's also many members of the public who come in," McMorrow said. "It really is a public safety issue, and hopefully it will be taken care of."
McMorrow said she also is looking forward to seeing cosmetic improvements to the front entrance, but added, "I'd rather have it safe than pretty."
County spokesman William K. Heine said an estimated cost for the entrance construction and underpinning work hasn't been generated yet.
At the same time, work on the old building's majestic clock tower is taking place as part of renovations to the second floor. The building at 1 E. Main St. stands three stories and contains the courtroom and chambers of Judge Thomas W. Cavanaugh Jr. and various county government administrative offices, county Tax Board operations, and the offices of the county surrogate.
Heine said workers currently are "stripping (the clock tower) of lead paint and renovating the entire cupola. They are putting on new siding, repairing a leak and replacing the tin roof."
The entire cost for work on the cupola and second-floor administrator's area is $459,000, Heine said. The contractor is Santorini Construction Inc. of Neptune.
Santorini Construction won the contract in December, seven months after the county canceled its contract with another firm after costs for work on the Hall of Records soared to $8.097 million, $320,000 over budget. That initial renovation project by the Benjamin R. Harvey Co. of Ocean Township began in late 2002 and was supposed to have been finished in 2005.
CARE TO COMMENT? Visit our Web site, www.app.com, and click on this story for the latest developments and to join in the online conversation about this topic in Story Chat.
Bob Jordan: (732) 308-7755 or bjordan@app.com
www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080717/NEWS/807170546/-1/&source=nletter-news