Town of Colton

In 2018, the Town of Colton approached BCA Architects & Engineers (BCA), requesting assistance with securing funding for the design and construction of a new salt storage facility. BCA assisted the Town with completing and submitting a Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) to NYSDEC for grant funding through the Water Quality Improvements Project (WQIP) program. In December of 2018, the Town was awarded a $421,500 grant and retained BCA to assist the Town through the design, bidding, and construction phases of the project. In 2019, BCA and the Town completed an analysis of various building construction types and sizes, as well as alternative siting locations on the Town’s existing highway facility parcel. At that time, the Town was not interested in a steel-supported membrane roof structure (fabric-covered building) and was only considering traditional wood-frame construction. After a lengthy study phase, a final site was selected and the Town authorized BCA to advance the design of a wood-framed building late in 2019. Shortly thereafter, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a global shut down and it was not until June 2021 when the project was finally advertised for construction bids. Supply chain issues and inflation at this time were extraordinary! This was especially true in the lumber industry, and the bid prices received reflected this. Due to inflated bid prices, the Town threw out all bids and planned on rebidding at a later point when pricing had subsided. Another cost savings measure the Town wanted to incorporate was a bid alternate which included construction of a fabric-covered building instead of a wood-framed building. In May 2022, BCA assisted the Town with rebidding the project with both a wood-framed and a fabric-covered building bid alternate. Bid prices received were much more favorable than the original bid, and the Town selected the wood-framed alternate and awarded the project. Construction of the building started on July 5, 2022 and was completed on August 29, 2022. The Town came in after that and completed a majority of the final site work, and filled the building for use during the 2022 – 2023 season. The final Total Project Cost was $800,000, almost $50,000 less than budgeted in 2018! BCA provided professional engineering, architectural, and surveying services throughout the design, bidding, and construction phases of this project, as well as a full time, onsite Resident Project Representative throughout construction.