Falls Township officials are working to ensure that township vehicles and equipment are stored safely in advance of the municipal building renovation project. During construction, township vehicles and equipment will be stored on a township-owned parcel on Lincoln Circle. The supervisors are taking preventative steps to thwart theft or damage of the items and property.
“We cleaned it up and got rid of the overgrowth,” said supervisors chairman Jeff Dence of the site. “We are going to put a fence around it.”
The board of supervisors unanimously voted to award a bid to Pro Max Fence Services, LLC in the amount of $57,092 for removal and replacement of 925 linear feet of chain link fencing. The company was the only one to bid on the project.
The municipal building construction phase is expected to go out for bid on Jan. 1 with IEI overseeing construction administration from Feb. 1, 2023, through Feb. 1, 2024.
The municipal project entails a complete updating of the existing building and integrating functions. Upgrades will include improvements to administration, code enforcement and fire marshal, finance, parks and recreation, police, clerks, tax collector and public works, as well as a transition from a public meeting room to a community room, which could be used by residents and local groups.
Once updated, the municipal building will also feature shared, flexible conference rooms, incubator space for start-up businesses, as well as additional support and amenity spaces. IEI will work to help departments that have either aged out of their space, outgrown their area, or are functioning in spaces that are not feasible for municipal purposes.
Jones Engineering Associates, the township’s engineer, will address a second access and exit point from the site as part of their design. All municipal functions will be situated on the first floor for easier access among elderly and handicapped visitors. When possible, IEI’s design will incorporate cost-effective green design and construction practices, as well as strategies to reduce water and energy use.
