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White Plains-based Calgi Construction Management has been commissioned to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether it would benefit the village more to update the facility or simply build a new complex.
The antiquated facility, originally built in 1942, is dramatically undersized, and cannot house all of the department’s equipment. Additionally, there is limited space for employees to complete repairs and to work comfortably.
Calgi Construction will operate on a $23,000 contract, under which they will interview DPW staff members, determine equipment needs and provide an analysis of the space. Site designs will then be prepared and presented to the village at an upcoming board meeting to determine the best course of action.
“The DPW facility was never modernized since its construction in the mid-1940s, so a thorough evaluation is long overdue,” Mayor Mary Marvin said.
Due to the undersized facility, the equipment employees use each day is forced to stay outside, regardless of weather conditions. Upgrading the facility is something the board has sought for several years, but budget limitations have forced the trustees to table it until now.
Because DPW operations cannot shut down during the study and subsequent renovation, Calgi will potentially upgrade one area of the facility while the rest remains operational.
“The goal of the review is to determine whether the existing facility is worthy of modifications to meet the needs and equipment of a modern department, or is it more prudent and cost effective to construct a new or prefabricated structure,” Marvin added. “Our current facility will be evaluated with regard to vehicle maintenance needs, equipment and material storage, electrical needs and environmental regulations.”
The proposed upgrades would be a welcome addition for village DPW crews, who have worked in the cramped quarters for years.
“It would definitely be a nice luxury, but we’re all so used to it at this point that it isn’t a huge deal,” one employee said. “I’d want it more so we can store our equipment. We spend a lot to get the best stuff, and we aren’t able to protect it properly.”
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