Jeff Anderson, vice president of pre-construction for Downes Construction Company, assured the Fire House Committee Wednesday night that the company will provide soup-to-nuts service during construction of the new fire house on Shepard Road.
Anderson said that First Selectman the town’s desire to go out to bid before the end of the year is “very doable.”
The town recently hired the firm as construction manager for the project. Downes has long specialized in working on public safety projects such as police stations and firehouses.
“We’re public safety experts,” Anderson said, adding that the company has extensive experience in grant coordination, support and adherence to standards, making sure that all work complies with state grant requirements. The firm will even assist town officials in tapping into grant funding.
The company works with all parties “to deliver on time, at or under budget, and to your expectations,” he asserted. It is already developing a preliminary budget. “Once that’s done we pull the documents apart for each trade and build the project on paper,” he said.
The company has worked extensively with Silver Petrucelli, the architects for the Norfolk fire house. “We’re on a first-name basis with them, which will pay dividends, because we know their expectations,” Anderson said.
The firm works cooperatively with Silver Petrucelli to craft the Requests for Proposals, and when the contractors return their bids, they review them with the low bidders to make sure they understand the schedule and phasing. Downes then returns to the town with a guaranteed maximum price.
Anderson said the firm has a “very good understanding of the capabilities of different contractors” allowing it to provide the Fire House Committee with insights. A full-time superintendent will be assigned during construction, and the committee will be updated weekly to “inform you of where we are and what we see daily.”
First Selectman Matt Riiska asked about timing of the project. Anderson said the first estimate should be ready around Labor Day and, after a review with Silver Petrucelli, a second estimate will be generated for the town.
Saying that Downes attempts to communicate completely with the communities it serves, Nicole DeMaio, vice president of business development, said the company could share information on the town’s website and provide a time-lapse recording of construction.