Board of Ed Fires Hommocks Contractor
by Judy Silberstein
(
November 21, 2002) The Mamaroneck School Board has flunked
its general contractor for the Hommocks construction
project. The project is behind schedule; some of the
workmanship has been unacceptable; some work has had
to be redone; other work will need redoing. So, at a
special meeting on Tuesday, November 19, the board voted
to terminate its contract with DelCon Construction Company.
A drive down Hommocks Road reveals part of the problem.
By now, all signs of construction should have vanished.
Instead, months after the September deadline, the chain
link fences are still up around the unfinished auditorium
wing.
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A view from the Hommocks Webcam |
Inside the new wing, the classrooms are now open,
but they were not ready for the start of school and
the auditorium is still incomplete. Music and drama
teachers have been scrambling to find alternate venues
for performances originally scheduled for the new stage.
Fortunately, though, a major portion of the work is
over in the original parts of the building. The newly
expanded and renovated library is open and operating,
along with the redesigned commons, twelve new science
rooms, two new computer labs, and a host of new or rejuvenated
bathrooms. And fortunately, construction projects underway
in other Mamaroneck schools are being handled by separate
contractors and are unaffected by DelCon’s termination.
At this point it is unclear how long it will take to
straighten out the legal and logistical issues and get
the building finished. “This is the first time
with this administration that we have had to do this,”
said Board of Education spokesperson Joan Rosen. She
added, “The matter is now in the hands of our
attorney. All the information we could provide is in
the letter the public will be receiving.” (A copy
of the letter appears below.)
Letter from the Board of Education
Mamaroneck Public Schools
Board of Education
November 20, 2002
Dear Community Members,
We are writing to provide an update on the construction
project at Hommocks School. In January 2000, the community
approved a $17 million bond referendum for new construction
and renovation at Hommocks Middle School. Since the
passage of that bond referendum, we have renovated much
of the original building, including
- expansion and renovation of the library
- creation of 12 new science laboratory/instruction
spaces
- addition of two new computer labs
- addition of 11 new classrooms and 4 bathrooms
in the new wing including new music and art suites
- redesign of the commons area including a link
to the new wing
- creation of faculty meeting and conference
spaces at the center of each of three houses
- installation of new floors
- installation of new ceilings and lighting
- renovation of all of the bathrooms
- renovation of the elevators
- installation of new filtration system and mechanical
room for the pool
While we are excited about these improvements in our
middle school and delighted with the architectural design,
we have not been satisfied with several aspects of the
performance of our general contractor, including the
fact that the entire addition was not completed for
the opening of school this year. In consultation with
the administration, attorneys, architects and construction
managers, the Board has decided to take the necessary
legal action to terminate the district’s relationship
with the general contractor related to the Hommocks
construction project. The result may be a further delay
in the final completion of the new structure but we
strongly believe it is in the best interests of the
community that we pursue other means legally available
to us to ensure that the final building will be what
the community and we expected.
We will continue to provide you with updates on the
progress toward completion of the auditorium that is
the centerpiece of the remaining construction. Throughout
the process, the safety of our children and staff will
be our top priority, as well as careful financial and
quality oversight of the project. We know that many
of you will have questions and we’ve tried to
address them in the following section.
Sincerely,
Board of Education
Robert G. Martin Susan Spencer
President Vice President
Cecilia Absher, Trustee
April Farber, Trustee
Celia Felsher, Trustee
Amy Levere, Trustee
Alan Parter, Trustee
Questions and Answers
Who is the general contractor and how did the district
choose this company?
When a construction project is estimated to cost more
than $20,000, the district is required by state law
to go out to bid and accept the lowest responsible bidder.
DelCon submitted the lowest bid on the Hommocks project.
When we awarded the contract to DelCon, we did not have
any information that would have disqualified them; nor
was there any indication that other projects DelCon
was working on or had worked on had problems.
What specifically are the problems with DelCon?
Throughout the construction, timing has been an issue.
DelCon has failed to meet its own schedules for work
performance. The entire project was supposed to be completed
by September 2002. Although the school is using the
classrooms in the new wing, many parts of the project
are still not finished. In addition, some workmanship
has been unacceptable and either has been redone or
will need to be redone. It is important to note, however,
that these problems have in no way impacted on the health
or safety of the children.
What work remains to be done?
The major unfinished work includes the auditorium,
roofing, masonry and the tiling of the corridors in
the new wing.
Was the general contractor responsible for the entire
project at the Hommocks? If not, have there been problems
with any other contractors?
For a variety of reasons, including state law, the
construction was planned in phases and with 12 different
bid packages. Therefore, in addition to DelCon and the
subcontractors working under DelCon, there were 11 other
contractors on the project, including plumbing, electrical
and HVAC contractors. The work of these other contractors
has been satisfactory.
What recourse does the district have against this
general contractor?
Whenever a contractor is hired for a capital project,
the contractor must provide a performance bond. The
bond provides insurance through a bonding company to
complete the project should the contractor default or
be terminated. It is now the responsibility of DelCon’s
bonding company to finish the Hommocks project and cover
any additional construction costs incurred.
What is the timeline for completion?
That depends on the action of the bonding company.
Once the district took action against DelCon, the bonding
company has to do an investigation of the project and
ultimately provide a schedule for completion.
What, if any, impact will this have on the other construction
projects in the district, financially or otherwise?
None. DelCon is not working on any other projects
in the district. The Hommocks $17 million bond was separate
and apart from the most recent bond that is funding
the other projects in the district.
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