East Granby School Project Ahead of Schedule

The $11.8 million elementary school renovation project in East Granby is a few days ahead of schedule at both schools, according to town officials.

First Selectman Jim Hayden said at a regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen at the Town Hall Wednesday evening that the project’s contractor had begun pouring slabs at Seymour Elementary School and that “everything is going fine.”

“It’s starting to take form,” Hayden said.

The project may run into some problems, however, due to the loss of the four days of February break, which will now be in-school days as a result of cancellations that took place in November because of the power outages from the late-October snowstorm.

Work at Allgrove Elementary School was scheduled to take place during those vacation days in February, according to Hayden. As it stands right now, the school is scheduled to be re-tiled in the week after Christmas and things will be assessed after that, according to Hayden.

It’s a minor hitch in what has been somewhat of a charmed process. Bids came in low enough such that there will be more extensive interior painting at Allgrove and the Building Committee has also increased the number of windows to be replaced at Allgrove as well Hayden said.

In other business, Hayden reviewed with the two other selectmen the survey of the town building roofs conducted by Newgate Builders as part of the short-term maintenance/long-term capital improvements plan.

As it stands, the roofs of the Public Library, Town Hall, Ambulance Building, Senior and Community Center, and Fire/Police Building all need some form of maintenance to their cupolas, siding, windows and/or gutters.

The library’s roof, according to Newgate, as about 10 to 15 years left before it needs to be replaced, while the Ambulance barn has eight to 10 years remaining, the Senior and Community Center has three to four years left, the fire and police station has three to four years, and the Co. 2 Firehouse has 20 years.

The survey cost the town $650; money, according to Hayden, that was well spent.

Correction: the original version of this story was clarified concerning the issue of re-painting and window replacement.