After Delays, Enthusiasm

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=75 BGCOLOR="#330000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="198c8c83.jpg"> <div> Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department</div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=250 BGCOLOR="#BBBBBB" TEXT="#080000" background="0befa043.gif"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Riverhead Volunteer Fire Department">Home</A></div> <div> <A HREF="hamill_beats_tradeski_in_rfd.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Close Vote Is History">Close Vote Is History</A></div> <div> <A HREF="fire_at_chevy_dealership.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eagle Auto Mall Fire">Eagle Auto Mall Fire</A></div> <div> <B>After Delays, Enthusiasm</B></div> <div> <A HREF="how_s_this_for_longevity_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Hows this for Longevity?">How's this for Longevity?</A></div> <div> <A HREF="constable_dr_13_35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Constable Dr 1335">Constable Dr 13-35</A></div> <div> <A HREF="social_gatherings.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Social Gatherings">Social Gatherings</A></div> <div> <A HREF="being_a_volunteer.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Being a Volunteer">Being a Volunteer</A></div> <div> <A HREF="risk_assessments.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Risk Assessments">Risk Assessments</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=405 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>After Delays, Enthusiasm</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>Firehouse expected to open before year’s end</B></div> <div> By Michael White     10-23-2008     <A HREF="http://www.timesreview.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.timesreview.com/">News Review</A></div> <bR> <div> It's the prettiest vacant building in Riverhead...</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="8c1bc0b0.jpg" border=0 width="700" height="523" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> The $16 million firehouse on Roanoke Avenue looks good, but it’s not ready yet.</div> <div> News-Review photo by John Neely</div> <bR> <div> The lawn is manicured and the parking lot always is swept, but the $16 million Riverhead Fire Department headquarters remains empty these days, raising the question: When's it going to open?</div> <bR> <div> Fire district officials told The News-Review this week that minor construction snafus and checklist items are holding up the project, but they expect the Roanoke Avenue firehouse to be operable -- and occupied -- by the end of the year.</div> <bR> <div> "It's no different than moving into a new house," said Bill Kelly, the chairman of the Riverhead Fire Commissioners. "We've had a few delays. A few projects inside the firehouse took a little longer than we had anticipated. But we're moving along."</div> <bR> <div> He said the department still is working to put a traffic preemption in place, which would configure the area's traffic signs and signals to allow emergency vehicles to enter the roadways safely.</div> <bR> <div> "A few things have to get done before the town issues a [certificate of occupancy]," he said. "It's typical construction stuff. We're in the phase of the project right now that's called a punch list, where we go through and make sure we get what we paid for.</div> <bR> <div> "If anything needs to be corrected, we make sure it's done before we move in so later on we don't have to pay for something that the contractor or subcontractor should have fixed before we took possession of the building."</div> <bR> <div> The minor construction problems included leaks in the roof due to vents that had not been put in place and doors that did not close properly, among other items, said Mark Conklin, another commissioner.</div> <bR> <div> He noted that the general contractor, Wantaugh-based GII Construction Co., needed an extension past the initial July completion date.</div> <bR> <div> "We're in no rush, so when we make our move we want to make it like a turnkey operation," he said. "It's not like we're getting kicked out of our old place."</div> <bR> <div> Mr. Conklin said that after it's in use, the firehouse will be open for tours during an open house event.</div> <bR> <div> "I think people will be happy to see what their $16 million bond got them," he said. "We're proud of it and I think the public should be proud of it, and we're proud of them for letting it happen."</div> <bR> <div> The current fire headquarters on Second Street will be going up for sale after the move, Mr. Kelly said, though the fire district has explored the idea of a land swap with the town.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="mailto:mwhite@timesreview.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:mwhite@timesreview.com">mwhite@timesreview.com</A></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>