New firm to oversee construction of downtown project
Keene plans to bring a new engineering consultant aboard the city’s downtown infrastructure project next spring when construction begins.
New firm to oversee construction of downtown project
Keene plans to bring a new engineering consultant aboard the city’s downtown infrastructure project next spring when construction begins.
Keene plans to bring a new engineering consultant aboard the city’s downtown infrastructure project next spring when construction begins.
City councilors earlier this month unanimously voted for city staff to move forward with hiring Greenman-Pedersen Inc. to oversee that phase of the two-year project. The maximum contract cost is $1.8 million, though it could be lower, city engineer Bryan Ruoff previously told The Sentinel.
While a to-be-determined construction company will be responsible for supplying the labor and materials for the project, GPI is a third party that would oversee construction.
“That means that somebody is going to be on scene all the time checking businesses.
They will be checking the work that’s being done. They’ll be checking the bills we get, the quantity and quality of things that are going on,” city councilor Tom Powers explained during an earlier City Council meeting.
“It’s a very important part of the project,” he added. In a separate process, the city opened the bidding period for a contractor, and it will continue until Dec. 18.
The primary purpose of the downtown project is to replace old pipes beneath downtown Keene. However, several above-ground modifications, including protected bike lanes and changes to Central Square, have stirred controversy not just because of concerns about aesthetics and function, but also because of the added cost.
City councilors approved hiring GPI, which has locations in many states east of Louisiana, with no discussion.
Stantec has overseen the previous two phases of the downtown project. That firm was also in the running to oversee the construction phase. However, because of its previous design work on the project, Stantec will continue to be involved and another contract is needed, Ruoff previously said.
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