Bids Readied For Community-Senior Building

UPDATE—

The town’s building commission is putting the final touches on a request for qualifications (RFQ), the first step in a public announcement asking firms to submit design bids for a new and combined senior and community center at 46 Church Street.

The five-member commission met last week at the community center for a special work session on the RFQ. They discussed the RFQ public announcement, which was aimed for today, April 15 and the probable deadline date for responses, May 7. But neither date was set in stone. The RFQ was published on April 17 and must be returned by 11:30 a.m. May 8. 

The two-story Community House, which currently houses the Parks and Recreation Department and programs, will undergo interior renovations and an elevator will be added. An addition will be built to the left of the 46 Church Street entrance where the Senior Center Department and most of the senior programs will be located. Some areas on each floor will be blended for use by both departments.

The commission had decided that all RFQ bidders will be required to have worked on a minimum of five municipal projects over a ten-year period. But that time frame was not included as a requirement in the published legal notice. What was listed in the legal notice was a statement asking for a firm’s connection to the design and construction of municipal facilities, particularly senior centers and community centers. The notice also asked for information about the history and experience of the owners and key technical personnel. 

In other action, the commission discussed and then decided to add an hourly rate for services to the bid. As it turned out, the hourly rate requirement was not included in the final published bid either. After the meeting, Marci Palluzzi, a member of the commission, who also sits on the Planning & Zoning Commission, said she had consulted with town officials about the overall process.

Last month First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove asked the commission to prepare a ​“RFQ” for architecture and engineering designs. Cosgrove gave the commission a road map, of sorts. It turned out to be the fire headquarters and public works renovation and expansion plans of July, 2005. Fire Headquarters was built but public works was not. It continues to reside in a rental facility. 

Peter Banca, the chair of the commission, suggested that Branford-based firms be given a copy of the RFQ once it is finished. Banca has had a long career in the banking and finance industry.

“Whether they are qualified, I don’t know. But it would give them an option. That would be cool,” he said, adding it would be nice to have Branford contractors bidding on a Branford project. 

Besides Banca and Palluzzi, the other members of the commission include Paul Cianci, an engineer, James Killelea, an attorney and a long-time member of the Inland Wetlands Commission; and Leonard Tamsin, a construction manager and a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Under the ordinance creating the building commission, two additional members who are knowledgeable about a specific area may be appointed to serve on the commission on a temporary basis. So far the two temporary members for the senior-community project have not been appointed. Asked about this, Cosgrove told the Eagle that he expected that to happen later in the process.

Voices For Seniors Attend Meeting

At the commission’s first meeting in March, members of the Voices for Seniors group peppered Cosgrove with questions, observations, suggestions and reflections about his proposed expansion of the Community House to include a senior department. 

The seniors raised questions about the parking lot, about the baseball fields, about elevator use by kids and seniors, about senior centers that work well in other towns, (Madison’s elevator and computer system won high praise).

Alex Palluzzi, the head of the Recreation Department at the Community House, welcomed the seniors in the room, saying his staff and board ​“are 100 percent behind this idea. We welcome you with open arms,” he said. Marci Palluzzi, who sits on this commission, is Palluzzi’s sister-in-law.

Parking is a big issue. Cosgrove observed that whenever he goes to the Community House these days he counts the cars in the parking lot. There are 83 parking spaces in the Community House parking lot and often they are taken by teachers who work at the elementary school across the street. 

There was discussion about flooding on nearby Meadow Street and flooding of Hammer Field, which abuts the community center. The community house is located in a flood zone, which presents additional issues regarding drainage and parking areas. There has been virtually no discussion about the Atlantic Wharf project, a major undertaking that will transform this area. 

Cosgrove told the commission at an early meeting that right now the community center is underutilized. He also said there would be very ​“little overlap” between programs for seniors and kids. ​“The senior programs will take place during the time while kids in the school,” he said.
###