Selectmen Irked By Ames Building Delays

DEDHAM, MA — The Dedham Board of Selectmen expected to be in the Ames Building by now and are not happy to be told that the renovated building may not be ready until the end of the year.

At a recent selectmen meeting, the board was told by officials working on the renovation project that work on their future home will not be over until Dec. 18.

“I was under the impression this was going to be done in July, then September,” Selectman Brendan Keogh said.

In the timeline given to the selectmen, site work and landscaping is expected to be done Oct. 31, the second and third floors will be ready Nov. 6 with furniture delivery in November, the fourth flood by Nov. 27 with furniture delivery scheduled for December, and the first floor will be ready by Dec. 18 with furniture delivery to take place in December as well.

Project officials said staffing levels and challenges with renovating a historical building, such as a sinkhole discovered after a flight of stairs was opened up, is the reason why the project is not over. As of Aug. 31, 66 percent of the work is complete.

Chairman Dennis Teehan tried to keep the delays in perspective.

“I think it’s important for us to remember, in the grand scheme, this project is going to be a success. Five years, 10 years from now, it’s not going to be important which month the building open, it’s going to be forgotten. A lot of things have gone right with the project,” he said.

Teehan, however, said he was not happy with the lack of communication and requested monthly updates from the project.

When the project is done, the building will be used as the new Town Hall.

Image: File Photo