TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—The town administrator said Aug. 10 that the “substantial completion date” for the $4.9 million DPW facility is Saturday, March 27, 2027, nearly four months after the original Dec. 8 completion date released in mid-July.
Near the end of a more than two-hour council meeting Aug. 10, Administrator Mark DiCarlo revealed the new target after a question from Council President Michael DeSena. DiCarlo said the new date was noted recent meeting minutes. He apparently referred to minutes of a recent meeting among himself, professionals, and the general contractor, Premier Building & Construction Management of Midland Park. These minutes are shared with the council — not the public.
Councilor Michael Ullman wondered about increased costs due to the delay. DiCarlo said the DPW parking lot lease with Bethany Community Center is an 18-month agreement that began Jan. 1. That agreement costs $5,800 per month and runs through June 30, 2027.
DiCarlo said that, in addition to leasing costs at Bethany, extra costs incurred would include the architect, at about $6,150 per month, for the extra delay.
At the July 13 meeting, the administrator disclosed that the then-revised “substantial completion date” for the new DPW facility was Dec. 8, 2026. See “DPW facility progress ‘extremely slow’; Dec. 8 ‘substantial completion date,’” by Michael Olohan, July 19, 2026, at thepressgroup.net.
Previously, DiCarlo said he, the township engineer, architect, DPW superintendent, and general contractor meet every two weeks at the municipal complex to monitor construction progress. He said the council regularly receives meeting minutes and updates when appropriate.
He said three change orders have affected the project so far: two monetary and one nonmonetary. He said the council approved a $6,670 change order in May for removal of a septic tank discovered while footings were being dug.
He said a second change order, not to exceed $15,000, has not yet been finalized because the engineer and architect are disputing invoice costs submitted by subcontractors. Moreover, he said he and the project’s architects and engineers have denied some requested change orders