Credit: Montgomery County Commissioners
A vacant building on Airy Street will soon have a new purpose after Montgomery County commissioners authorized roughly $9.57 million to renovate it.
The space was originally purchased by the county in 2001 and is currently under construction, according to Montgomery County Department of Assets and Infrastructure Director Jesse King, who added that “environmental studies” have been conducted and “abatement” testing done.
Once completed, the four-story office building at 18 W. Airy St. in Norristown will be the new home for the Montgomery County Public Defender’s Office.
“I’m really excited about this project because I love when they turn these old buildings into something new, and … this is a complete gut rehab,” King told MediaNews Group. “It’s going to (have) bigger windows, it’s going to be brighter, more natural light. They’re replacing the facade.”
The multimillion-dollar agreement with several providers authorized by county officials earlier this month covered interior and exterior services extended to constructing a “new brick facade, new windows, paving, and new roofing with new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems to be installed and an interior fit-out of all four floors.”
King estimated that work might wrap up in the “late second quarter” of 2025.
Contracts total is near $10M
Under the seven-figure umbrella, a roughly $7.16 million general construction contract was awarded to Tester Construction Group, LLC, of Bala Cynwyd. Willow Grove-based Hirschberg Mechanical was awarded a $972,490 mechanical contract and $308,360 plumbing contract.
An $870,000 electrical agreement went to Hobbs & Company, Inc., of Boothwyn, Delaware County. Additionally, a $255,000 fire protection contract went to Guy M. Cooper Inc., of Willow Grove. Funding was obtained from the county’s capital improvement plan.
Additional respondents to a previously issued request for proposals included an $8.24 million general construction bid from L J. Paolella Construction Inc., of Brookhaven Township, Delaware County; a $1.28 million mechanical bid from Boro Developers Inc., of King of Prussia; a $995,000 electrical bid from Yates Electrical Service Inc., of Quakertown, Bucks County; a $431,000 plumbing bid from Donal Mechanical Inc., of Sicklerville, New Jersey; and a $283,200 fire protection bid from Oliver Fire Protection & Security, of King of Prussia, according to the contract award.
Justice center plan
The building renovations are part of the overall county campus plan, according to King, who noted the seven-figure contract would consist of the “complete scope of work for construction.” However, other ongoing operational costs would be required for things like maintenance and custodial services.
“We will make the appropriate budget adjustments moving forward to make sure the building is properly maintained,” King said.
The building’s floor plan encompasses three single occupancy offices, 25 double occupancy offices as well as four office areas that can fit around 26 people, King said. Additional conference and “huddle rooms” were also included in blueprints.
King noted that public defenders have worked in cramped offices inside the Montgomery County Courthouse for years. He stressed the change in venue is “going to be game changing for them in terms of the quality and what they’re going to have to work in. It’s exciting.”
The multimillion dollar agreements were among several totaling $14.36 million authorized during an April 18 Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting.
A more than $1.79 million agreement with Educational Furniture Solutions, of Norristown, procured “ancillary furniture for the Justice Center and Court House renovation.” The contract stipulated that “proposals were requested of pre-qualified firms available through PA state contracts” and funds were made available through the county’s capital improvement plan.
Pennsauken, New Jersey-based Corporate Facilities, Inc. and Premier, Success by Design of Willow Grove each submitted bids at $3.21 million and $2.67 million, respectively, but those were not endorsed by county officials.
Keim Street bridge work
A $1.69 million consultant contract with Michael Baker International, of Fort Washington, covered “contract administration and inspection services” involved with replacing the Keim Street bridge over the Schuylkill River, in Pottstown, a long awaited and much anticipated project. The bridge has been closed since 2010.
The services encompass supervising “construction and complet(ing) the required construction inspection in conformance with the Scope of Work for Municipal Projects, Consultant Construction Inspection, dated March 2019.”
It was advertised on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation’s Engineering and Construction Management System, according to the contract award, and proposals were evaluated by county and PennDOT representatives.
Project funding involves a multi-pronged approach at the county, state and federal levels. Specifically, 80 percent would come from federal funding sources, 15 percent from the state and 5 percent from Montgomery County’s capital improvement program, according to the contract.
Immunization outreach
Montgomery County officials also authorized the issuance of a request for proposals focused on finding an immunization education and outreach program manager.
The advertisement was approved on behalf of the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, in conjunction with the department’s public health agency and Montgomery County Immunization Coalition.
The scope of work would involve the overseeing of “community collaborations/partnerships and provide comprehensive immunization education and outreach services for populations of all ages including culturally and linguistically diverse populations focusing on age-appropriate vaccinations as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.”
An “immunization grant” would fund the position, the request for proposals states. Interested firms can submit bids until 10:30 a.m. on May 14, according to the Montgomery County Purchasing Department.
Resource fair in Norristown
The Montgomery County Clerk of Courts will be holding a resource fair from 10 a.m. to noon on April 30 at the George Washington Carver Community Center, located at 249 Jacoby St. in Norristown.
The event is being held in honor of Second Chance Month, an initiative crafted by the U.S. Department of Justice, seeking to spotlight ways for government and other organizations to help “build meaningful second chances for people returning from incarceration,” according to the Bureau of Justice Assistance.
Montgomery County Clerk of Courts Lori Schreiber stressed the importance of providing a forum with the Second Chance Resource Fair.
“There can be many steps for returning citizens to help them successfully reach their goals within their home communities,” Schreiber said in a statement on Montgomery County’s website. “These steps need to be both holistic, but also unique to fit each individual’s needs.”
“At our Re-entry Resource Fair, we will offer a wide variety of vendors, community organizations and government offices to help individuals build skills and obtain needed services. In addition, our hope is to improve community attitudes and reduce stigma,” she continued. “This, in turn, can further assist people as they move up the rungs of their own ladder of success.”
Anyone with questions can contact Mandy-Lee Garofalo at [email protected].
The next Montgomery County Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. on May 2 on the eighth floor of One Montgomery Plaza, 425 Swede St. Those interested in attending the meeting can also do so virtually. Visit montgomerycountypa.gov for more information.
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