The building contractor was selected in August and the budget was set soon afterwards. The next month was filled with meetings to see ways to save money on materials used, changing some minor design and finding efficiencies. A final meeting took place with key people with the city to decide on a number that the completed project would cost.

September was spent on processes required with forms, permits, agreements etc. A large portion of the funds being used to build the Senior Center are Government Grant funds. This as you would expect, adds more processes, forms, and waiting periods. I have learned much through this process and I’m thankful that I get to be included in various meetings and updates.

The next steps are to have the abatement process in place. This means that hazardous materials like asbestos will need to be removed from all of the buildings that would be torn down. There is some work that would be done on the exterior of one of the buildings but most of the work requires removal of parts of the interior, primarily flooring.

The building contractor will be fencing off the area, removing some trees and shrubbery, tying into water lines and electrical as they prepare the area for demolition. The goal is to have the least amount of disturbance for folks in the SilverKey apartments. The amount of coordination with city roads, utilities and sub-contractors is immense.

The process in getting started is a few months behind from what we expected originally. The project completion time frame is still on track for the first quarter of 2025. I hear your concerns about there not being much action on the property and I interject those concerns regularly in the meetings I attend. I still feel good about the completion time frame. The abatement process is expected to be done by the end of December and the demo of the buildings would take place soon after.

You are always welcome to ask me for updates. I am thankful that the city has made it a priority to support the Senior Center and provide the community with a beautiful building that will house the same amazing classes and events that you love to attend. The future is great. Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

Tom