At the Nov. 24 meeting of the Town Hall Construction Committee, LLB architect Drayton Fair told the panel that his firm had received cost estimates for the design endorsed by Special Town Meeting in October. Fair said LLB Architects was vetting the new numbers and “looking for areas of significant savings” to add to a revised add-alternate list.Add-alternates are items not included in the base construction bid but listed separately so they can be bid on individually and added as the budget allows. Options mentioned by Fair include leaving the existing outside ramp in place, eliminating the second floor stage completely to avoid the need for a stage lift, and not installing a new cupola.
Fair told the Press that general contractors have their pick of jobs right now so there are fewer firms available for a project of this scale. “It’s too small a job for big firms, and too big for small ones,” said Fair. He added that there is also a shortage of subcontractors because of business closings and layoffs that occurred during the recession. The cost estimates will be made available to the town in the next few weeks.
The next THCC meeting is Dec. 8, when the committee will select an owner’s project manager to recommend to the selectmen from its list of candidates.
