Construction Site Update
The contractor is beginning to assemble forces and equipment to the site and has added two construction trailers on-site for operational control. One of the trailers will be occupied by the contractor as their site offices. The other trailer will be occupied by the Town's Project Management Team, Marty Hanneman (Interwest) and Paul Beamer (Mack5). The site has been entirely fenced and now has controlled access.
Soft demolition will begin this coming week on the Town's remaining structures - Emergency Operations Shed, Building and Planning Permit Trailer, Administrative Offices, Police Department Garage, and Historic Town Hall (interior demo only). Full demolition will occur once all the soft demolition work has been completed. We anticipate this to occur in late June. Full demolition will be similar to the full demolition of the old Library building. The structures will go down fairly quickly over a couple of days and then skip loaders will off haul into large trucks to carry off site. No trucks are expected to traverse Ashfield Road. The primary truck route is via El Camino Real and Fair Oaks.
As the project moves along, webcams will be installed to track the progress of construction. Links to these cameras will be provided on the
Project Webpage and via this Blog. A temporary pedestrian path has been added from Ashfield Road to the temporary Library building. The primary purpose of the pathway is to allow residents on Ashfield Road pedestrian access to the Library and Park without traversing El Camino Real.
Temporary Town Trailers @ Park Update
The move to temporary facilities in the Park has not been without its challenges. As one might expect, the standard challenges associated with moving were all present - lost boxes, hidden boxes, things you need now in boxes that have been misplaced, putting together temporary spaces, rearranging power cords, desks, filing cabinets, and more. But, some of the bigger challenges also presented themselves. For example, the trailer installer has experienced delay in fabricating steps for the trailers so entry is limited to an access ramp only. Stairs are forthcoming. The trailer installer also forgot to install a window in one of the offices (mine). There's one coming. It was supposed to be installed yesterday, but they brought the wrong type of window. So, perhaps next week. The movers were a no show on the first day of the move. Staff began boxing up loads into their personal vehicles to move things over. While we closed down for two days to coordinate the move, the day's delay caused by the movers put things behind schedule.
Inside the trailers, partition offices were being fabricated. Administration and the Post Office was first to finish on Monday, but the installers were delayed and did not finish Building and Planning until Tuesday -
after we had opened to the public. That was a bit challenging and frustrating for the public and staff. Kudos go to staff doing their best to find their way through it all.
One more thing - water, fiber, sewer - all good. Power? Not as good. PG&E has still not yet been able to coordinate installation of a new transformer and was delayed in the installation of a meter for the site. The date for the installation is/was well past our move date. Despite City Hall being a critical facility for emergency preparedness, PG&E has advised that they will not be able to update the transformer until mid-August. We have advised that that timing is not acceptable and we're working toward moving that timeline up. In the mean time, City Hall and the Permit Center are running off of a generator.
For the next few weeks, there is a laundry list of items that need to be completed. These include:
- re-striping parking areas in the Park to accommodate temporary parking and the new City Hall configuration (to include necessary ADA parking)
- Clearing up and cleaning up barricade areas created as a result of new and necessary wiring
- Adding signage at the new City Hall to identify parking and specific office areas (Admin/Permit Center/Post Office)
- Cleaning up the Park Corporation Yard as it will receive increased temporary use as a result of the impacted yard at the Town Center
- Adding additional outdoor seating around City Hall
- Relocating the money drop box from old City Hall to temporary City Hall
- Installing a new Public Notice Board at the new location
- Installing new wayfinding signs around Town
- Working with Caltrans for Keep Clear pavement markings at Ashfield and El Camino Real
- and much, much more.
But, we're up and operational and we're working out the kinks! Come and see us!
Kudos to staff for working hard through it all and making it a successful move despite the challenges.
George Rodericks
City Manager
grodericks@ci.atherton.ca.us