New police building to open in September.
By: Josh Appelbaum
Delays caused by frequent rain have set the completion date of the new Cranbury Police Station back another seven days.
Last month, Mark Berkowsky, whose firm Berkowsky and Associates is managing construction for the project, told the Township Committee the project would be delayed 10 days because of snowstorms in February.
In March, both rain and snow were the culprit, costing construction crews five days on installing the building’s roof and setting the end date back to Sept. 14. The original completion date was Aug. 28.
At Monday’s committee meeting, Mr. Berkowsky said that if there is a week’s worth of dry weather, construction could get back on schedule. He also said some interior framing and electrical work was ahead of schedule.
"Progress is good, weather is bad," Mr. Berkowsky said.
Monday’s report was the sixth monthly update Mr. Berkowsky has given to the Township Committee.
According to Mr. Berkowsky, the fact that some work is ahead of schedule could shorten the delays.
"Once we get a roof on the building, there will be less delays," Mr. Berkowsky said. "It is in the contractor’s best interest to get done early, it will save them money."
He said exterior sheathing is 90 percent complete and exterior brick work has started in the police entrance area. Interior framing is nearly complete and preliminary electrical wiring has begun. Heating ventilation and air conditioning units have been installed as well.
The township is also soliciting bids for electrical conduits for cable television, telecommunications and Internet access, additional security equipment and a gas-powered hot water heater.
Construction on the station began in November after the contractor for the Station Road Home Depot warehouse vacated the site and the Holland House was moved. The Police Department is expected to move into the new building by the end of September.
Under the current plan, the new police station will be a one-story, L-shaped, 16,000-square-foot building. It will be built on a 1.9-acre parcel on Station Road.

