As the summer slowly winds down, so does the old library project. But at its meeting on Aug. 13, the Old Library Accessibility Committee (OLAC) expressed concern that at each weekly construction meeting, the end date continues to slip another week. While work is nearly done, the building is not yet ready for its final inspection, which must be passed before the building inspector can issue a certificate of occupancy.
The project was originally scheduled to be finished June 1, but slips in the contractor’s schedule caused the end date to move to July 15. Problems with the slope of the ramp and having to change the plans for the entryway tiles caused yet another delay.
The current date by which the building is scheduled to be “substantially complete” and ready for inspection is August 19. But the committee was unconvinced that the building will be ready on that date given the amount of work left to do. The entryway tile still needs to be installed, and front door hardware and electronics need to be connected. The contractor must do a final cleaning, and there is a long “punch list” of items that need to be fixed. The punch list includes items such as fixing a gap between the ramp and the stairs and patching places in the brownstone.
Landscaping and some punch list items may be done after Fivesparks, the building’s tenant, moves back in. OLAC member Mark Mikitarian said Fivesparks has events scheduled for early September, and it is anxious to get the building ready. Fivesparks has a temporary certificate of occupancy, so technically it could use the building, but until the front door is ready to use, Mikitarian said it would be difficult to open for business.
The committee is planning a walk-through of the building for Monday, Aug. 19, and will meet again Aug. 20.
