The Plum senior community center expansion project is back on track.
Center officials have presented a $1.1 million plan that includes a new kitchen, cafe, fitness area, conference room, reception area and office space at the building on Center-New Texas Road.
"We are bursting at the seams," said Stanley J. Caraher, vice president of the senior community center board of director. He told Plum Council during a recent meeting that, "We need to make changes. We need a kitchen immediately."
Council on Monday night endorsed the first phase of the project that will cost $374,000, according to architect Mark Allison.
Caraher said grant money will be used to pay for the project.
"None of these phases will happen until we have the money in hand," Caraher said.
Projects in the first phase include: installing a kitchen in the existing computer area and expanding the computer area for a kitchen office and pantry; adding a conference room next to the kitchen and providing access to it from the existing social hall that will be converted into a cafe; relocating three heating and cooling units from the ground to the roof; providing gas logs for the existing fireplace; and painting, redecorating and furnishing the cafe.
Center officials last year pulled back on plans to remodel and expand the existing center to concentrate efforts on moving into a yet-to-be constructed complex with the municipal offices and police station on borough-owned property in Renton.
Now, with a timetable for relocating the municipal offices uncertain, the center is back to its original plan to make improvements to the existing center.
Center officials have said the kitchen is too small to accommodate both serving lunches and preparing Meals-on-Wheels.
The second phase — at a cost of $438,000 — includes a fitness center and group fitness area behind the office and activity hall; relocating an existing heating and cooling unit to the new roof; expanding the existing activity hall restrooms; relocating the service sink; remodeling a closet in the activity hall to a caterer's closet;, divide the existing office area with a corridor to create storage and a smaller office area; and providing a retaining wall with drainage across the rear of the building.
The third phase — at a cost of about $300,000 — includes relocating the office and reception desk to the existing kitchen area; renovating the office and reception desk to a lobby/waiting area; adding a vestibule at the building entrance; remodeling a closet in the community hall to a caterer's closet; and modifying and adding to the existing parking lot.
Council refrained from endorsing the project's second and third phases.
Council Vice President Keith Nowalk told Caraher the center should hold back on doing any work at the existing building because of the plans to move to the municipal complex in Renton.
"You're going to have a brand new building in 1 1/2 to two years," Nowalk said.
Councilman Leonard Szarmach disagreed saying there is no timetable for the new municipal complex.
Planning Director Greg Bachy said engineering work has been done on the borough's second phase — that would include the senior center — at the Renton site.
Bachy said the cost of the municipal complex is estimated at about $7 million — money that the borough doesn't have.
The first phase of the borough's project in Renton is the construction of a separate public works facility for $7.5 million. The borough has borrowed about $10 million for the public works facility and for stormwater management projects.
Council hired Massaro Construction Management of Pittsburgh for the project.
Borough Manager Michael Thomas said Massaro has agreed to do construction management work on the senior center project at no cost. The borough also has agreed to waive building permit fees that Bachy estimated would be about $1,000.
"They (Massaro) will provide the same service as for our (public works) project," Thomas said. "The only difference is that they are not charging you for it."
Caraher said renovations made to the building will help the borough, owner of the facility, when it sells or leases the center.
"Improvements we put in now will benefit the borough in the long haul," Caraher said. "It will not sit vacant. Improvements will make it more attractive. It is a win/win."
Council President Mike Doyle said he supports the first phase of the senior center project. He asked for discussion with center officials before the succeeding phases begin, and Norwalk agreed.
Center officials said they want to begin work on the first phase in the next several months.
The project should take about six months, Allison said.
