TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After noting a cost difference of about $580,000 but a structural lifespan of nearly double its steel competitor, council members were told that it appears a masonry building is worth the extra money to be spent on a two-story public works building at the municipal center complex, according to the mayor.
Mayor Peter Calamari told the council on Nov. 9 he backs a masonry building as a better investment. He said architect Arcari Iovino was available to field questions at the Dec. 5 council meeting, and he said he was hopeful the council would then be able to move forward with a new DPW building design.
“I would like to get our DPW a more permanent home that they deserve to operate out of. They’ve been very patient operating out of temporary [quarters] since we had to take the old building down to remediate the soil. They deserve a permanent home like every other employee has,” Calamari said.
Council members earlier asked Calamari to request the architect give them figures on steel buildings, which were said to be about half the cost of traditional brick and mortar structures.
However, the price difference totals approximately 12%, according to the architect’s estimates, but brick and mortar buildings last twice as long as steel, said Calamari.
Just over three hours into the Nov. 9 council meeting, Calamari stood by a new rendering of a two-story DPW garage/office facility on the footprint of the former DPW building, at the municipal center and said the difference between a metal building at an estimated $325 per square foot versus a masonry building estimated at $375 per square foot added up to about $578,000.
He showed a chart from the architect that estimated a 9,880 square foot steel building at $3,2110,000, plus a $250,000 salt dome, $350,000 for site improvements, 10% for contingency and 7% for price escalation for a total of $4,400,370.
He said the architect’s estimate for a masonry building came in at $3,705,000, plus all other similar costs as above, for a total of $4,978,350.
He said the nearly double lifespan of a masonry structure over steel “would last much longer” than the steel building.
Councilman Tom Sears said that he agreed with the mayor in terms of long-term building value. He asked if the building would incorporate solar lighting, noting potential cost savings.
Calamari said the DPW staff noted they would be able to build a salt dome for half the price estimated by the architect. He said the new facility would include room for recycling, such as styrofoam, oil disposal, and other recycling.
He said that the senior DPW staff was in favor of the new design and said it will work “for many years to come.”
Councilman Steve Cascio asked if he could get an inventory of vehicles that needed to go into the new facility
Calamari said the rendering showed the ambulance building removed — the corps is looking forward to moving into the new emergency services building on Washington Avenue — and “does add quite a few parking spaces.”
He said he checked with the architect and various departments and said the former ambulance building could not be repurposed.