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Family Gateway phase 2 repairs under way; council members press for faster timeline as units remain offline
Summary
City facilities staff said phase 2 repair work at Family Gateway started May 12 to replace exterior waterproofing and interior windows. Committee members expressed concern that the contractor's worst-case schedule runs through December and that 18 rooms at a time must be emptied during the work, displacing families.
City facilities staff told the Government Performance & Financial Management Committee May 27 that phase 2 repairs at Family Gateway began May 12 and include exterior waterproofing membrane work and interior window replacements. The committee raised concerns about the number of residential units taken offline during construction and the overall schedule.
Brian Thompson, assistant director of facilities and real estate management, said the contractor began phase 2 on May 12 and that the work is progressing. He explained the contractor's phasing: because of scaffolding, waterproofing and window work, the team must take approximately 18 rooms offline at a time to complete interior and exterior repairs in coordinated segments.
Committee members pressed staff for an explanation of why the repairs could take months; Thompson said the contractor's schedule is a "worst case" estimate because the full extent of damage behind walls was not known until work began. The contractor built a schedule that assumes the worst-case need to reconstruct window framing in every affected room; Thompson said the contractor would seek efficiencies as work progresses, but the current plan runs through December if all worst-case conditions materialize.
Members voiced concern about the effect on residents and the shelter system. Thompson said staff is monitoring the project closely and is in daily contact with the construction manager to identify opportunities to expedite the work.
Why it matters: Family Gateway is a shelter and transitional housing provider; units taken off-line for repairs directly affect the shelter system and placements for families. Committee members said speed of repair and inspection of restoration work are priorities to limit displacement and avoid further street-level impacts where units remain closed for extended periods.
