By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
WEST WINDSOR — Moving ahead with its plan to renovate the Municipal Building and the township-owned U.S. Postal facility, Township Council awarded a contract for $57,200 to the Spiezle Architectural Group Monday night.
Earlier this year, Township Council discussed renovations to the two buildings. The plan calls for relocating the Health Department and the Recreation Department, which occupy the former Police Department wing and a trailer in the Municipal Building.
The two departments have outgrown the space. The Health Department lacks a private area where visitors can discuss issues with residents, for example. And township officials would like to remove the trailer, which has outlived its useful life.
Moving those departments to a portion of the U.S. Postal facility would allow township officials to make renovations and repairs to the Municipal Building, which was built in the 1970s. The roof at the Municipal Building has been leaking for years.
The Spiezle Architectural Group is familiar with the two buildings. It was awarded a $14,800 contract in 2012 to conduct a space planning study of the Municipal Building and the U.S. Postal facility, and based on those studies, it was awarded another contract Monday night.
According to the Spiezle Architectural Group, about half of the U.S. Postal facility would be renovated for the two departments. The postal service relocated some of its functions to another location, freeing up about 2,700 square feet for the health and recreation departments.
Under the contract awarded this week, the architectural firm will develop schematic plans and preliminary details for the building design to include exterior designs for the new entry into the renovated office space. It would also prepare bid specifications.
Earlier this year, Municipal Engineer Francis Guzik told Township Council that the renovation and repair projects could be accomplished within six to nine months.
