Officials give update on CHU Transit Hub: bids high and environmental monitoring required

During the June 16 meeting of the Chautauqua County Public Facilities Committee, staff provided an update on the CHU Transit Hub project in Jamestown, reporting higher-than-expected construction bids and additional environmental monitoring obligations.

Mister Carbone (first name not specified) told the committee crews found a few more tanks while the city's Bureau of Public Utilities installed electrical service. He said those tank issues have been cleared, but the city will need to perform monitoring of the water table to satisfy the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). "That situation has all been cleared up. Other than the city is going to have to do some work there for the DEC as far as monitoring of the water table and things," Carbone said.

Carbone said bids for an 850-square-foot building arrived at about $830,000; he noted that figure did not include mechanical work, which he estimated could add another $30,000 to $50,000. He said the county had earlier worked with firm LaBella on cost estimates that initially put the project around $500,000, but current contractor pricing and market conditions produced a substantially higher bid. "The bids came in at $830,000 for a 850 square foot building," Carbone said. "It was 800,000, which didn't include the mechanical portion of the construction, which would have been probably it's gonna be another between 30 and 50,000 for that."

Carbone said the county is exploring alternatives, including modular or prefabricated buildings, and that staff and consultants are reviewing options because the county does not currently have the $800,000-plus amount in its budget. The committee requested the update but did not take formal action on the transit hub at the meeting.

No timeline for next steps was set during the discussion recorded in the transcript.