Old Marlborough town hall to get a facelift

By Mark Reynolds
Posted 9/21/22

After Marlborough moved their town offices and the police department out of their 1650 Route 9W location, the building has been used by the town highway and water department. But a long overdue …

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Old Marlborough town hall to get a facelift

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After Marlborough moved their town offices and the police department out of their 1650 Route 9W location, the building has been used by the town highway and water department. But a long overdue renovation project is being planned to bring the 1960s era building into the 21st century.

The Town Board recently hired the design firm of Greenman-Pedersen Inc [GPI] to provide engineering and architectural services aimed at upgrading the building. The firm’s goal is to renovate and modernize the 12,000 sq/ft structure in a similar style to the work that is presently transforming the TOMVAC building into a town community center.

The firm listed the key components of the project: repaving the existing paved areas; constructing a 1,250 sq/ft garage addition just east of the existing garage; building a 2,000 sq/ft office addition at the southwest corner of the existing office; renovating three existing bathrooms; adding a covered entry on the west face of the building; modifying the internal pathways, partitions and spaces to improve circulation and space utilization; make repairs to the masonry on the inside and outside of the building; apply exterior paint, vinyl siding and stone veneers to the building; and replace the existing roofing system to meet the NYS energy requirements.

GPI indicated that the design process will start with a pre-design of the project that includes a graphical presentation of the material, code analysis, and information to illustrate the proposed design. This will be followed by a schematic design that will include drawings, details and estimates of the design concept. This will all culminate in a final design that will include bid documents.

GPI pointed out that the proposed project will meet current NYS Building Code requirements, will be prepared as a public works project with prevailing wage and will meet the Wicks Law with contracts for the construction, mechanical, electrical and plumbing aspects of the project.

New York General Municipal Law § 101, known as the Wicks Law, states that when the total cost of contract work for the erection, construction, reconstruction, or alteration of a public building exceeds $500,000 or more, independent prime contractors must be used for the plumbing and gas fitting work; the steam, hot water heating, ventilation and air conditioning work and for the electrical wiring and illuminating fixtures. Separate specifications are required for each aspect of the project so that each may be separately and independently bid. This ensures expert performance in each of the specified areas, rather than leaving the selection of subcontractors to the General Contractor, in order to reduce the likelihood of delayed performance or poor quality of work.

GPI offered a timeline: the pre-design and the schematic design portions of the project will each take about 8 weeks to complete; with the pre-design estimate at $44,500 and the schematic design costing $30,600 for a total of $75,100. The construction documents will take from 10 to 12 weeks to compile, at a cost to be determined.

GPI stated there will be an additional fee of $625 to cover the company’s site visits on engineering, their oversight of the geotechnical drilling and for survey work. There is also a drilling subcontractor fee of $5,650 that will be contracted directly with the town. The company informed the town that, “as a multi-disciplined engineering and construction services firm, GPI can provide a broad range of services at the request of the client in support of this or other projects. Services can include, but are not limited to technical design, environmental permitting and wetland delineations,” at the request of the town.

Pier Damage
The firm of Tighe & Bond is in the process of reviewing the extent of the fire damage to the north pier at the Milton Landing that occurred on August 17, 2022. The cost estimate for their review is $19,950.

In a September 6th memo to the town, Brandee Nelson, an engineer with Tighe & Bond, noted the urgency of the town making a timely claim of the damage with their insurance company. She began her field observations on August 30 and anticipates that a final technical memorandum will be submitted by her company on September 30.

“We will complete the following tasks to evaluate the north pier existing condition, prepare a summary report with recommendations on repair or replacement of the structure, and prepare an opinion of probable cost for the design, permitting and construction of the repair or replacement structure,” Nelson wrote.

Nelson also outlined items that are not included in her scope of services but may become necessary based on what they find: conducting a bathymetric survey; according to the McLaren Engineering Group, “a bathymetric survey, sometimes referred to as a fathometric survey, is a type of hydrographic (water-based) survey that maps the depths and shapes of underwater terrain to illustrate the land that lies below.”

In addition, Nelson said they will do a 3D laser scan of the existing structure, do a Marine geotechnical boring; a design of kayak launching facilities; a design for the repair or replacement of the structure; compile construction drawings, bidding documents, regulatory permits and construction phase services. If needed and approved by the Town Board, these services and costs would be added as an amendment to their agreement with the town.