The Embassy Square streetscape project is on track for completion this spring at a price within the $1 million provided by the federal government.
City Engineer Frank Frazier reported on the project at Monday night’s City Council meeting at the request of council member Elissa Yount, who introduced a lengthy list of questions about the Embassy project and other issues that she said must be addressed before the council embarks on the budget process for 2005-06.
“It was encouraging, I thought, the news that we got,” Yount said.
Frazier said the streetscape project, which has closed Breckenridge Street between Wyche and Chestnut streets, will probably exceed the $833,000 contract but will remain below the $992,000 Henderson received for the project from the federal government.
With one storm drain left to dig, Frazier said, the excavations have turned up old trees under the road but nothing hazardous or budget-busting. “I’m always nervous when I’m in the ground,” the engineer said, but “right now we’re looking in pretty good shape.”
The Embassy street project includes Wyche Street behind the Vance County Senior Center, but that work will be less extensive, involving tearing up the sidewalks. And Frazier said he’ll know within a couple of weeks whether the city will have enough money left from the grant to do work on Montgomery Street.
“Every cent we can spend on the street we intend to do it,” Frazier said.
The contract calls for completing the road project by March 31. Frazier said operations are two or three weeks behind but should be concluded by the end of April, assuming cooperation from the weather.
The city must spend the federal money by the end of September, and Frazier said that won’t be a problem. “If we’re into September and not finished, the contractor … has lost a lot of money.”
Yount was worried about the street work being ruined during the library construction, but Frazier said the contractor will be responsible for repairing any such damage. It just so happens that the same contractor has the streetscape and the library construction.
“There’s one contractor on both projects, administered in different ways,” City Manager Eric Williams said. The city is overseeing the streetscape work, while the library is the responsibility of the Embassy Square Foundation.
“Frank and I work very closely together to make sure the city has a role,” foundation Executive Director Kathy Powell said Monday night.
Frazier, Powell, foundation Chairman Sam Watkins, the contractor and the architect hold site meetings twice a month to keep the Embassy project on track, Powell wrote in an e-mail response to Yount’s questions.
She and Frazier also explained the strict federal oversight of all expenditures under the streetscape grant and a separate $1 million grant from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development for the construction of the library. Powell assured Yount that the city isn’t on the hook for any unexpected expenses.
“Sharing this information makes me feel a whole lot better,” Yount said.