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New Castle County public works staff outline Newark library timeline and EVOC training site progress
Summary
Public works staff briefed the committee on the Newark library—a two‑story, 40,000+ sq. ft. building with bids underway and construction expected to start late spring—and an EVOC emergency-services training facility where utilities and stormwater work are underway and summer completion is anticipated for portions of the site.
Paul Friess, division manager for fleet and facilities, told the committee the proposed Newark library will be a two‑story facility of more than 40,000 square feet with substantial completion currently estimated in 2026. "The proposed facility is a 2 story 40,000 plus square foot structure," Friess said, and staff are in the heavy bidding phase: Bid Pack 1 (demo, structural steel, plumbing, concrete and site work) opened with a pre‑bid meeting and an opening scheduled for the 18th of the month, and Bid Pack 2 (masonry, drywall, HVAC, electrical) is expected to open in March.
Friess said the county plans to prepare the existing library for demolition in April and hopes to begin construction in the May–June timeframe after awards for remaining bid packages. He credited Helen Foster, the county SBE coordinator, for leading outreach to small business enterprises (SBEs) to expand local contracting opportunities for the project.
On the EVOC site—an emergency vehicle operator course at the corner of River Road and Federal School Lane adjacent to the former Kirkwood soccer fields—Friess described work concentrated on stormwater piping, underground utilities (electric, data, water), roadway site preparation, conduit for lighting and fencing. "It's a multipurpose training facility for various emergency service departments at New Castle County," he said, adding the skills pad and a stormwater management facility are completed or near completion and that the project will include security fencing and lighting.
Committee members asked about meeting-room counts and project schedules; Friess said internal plans allow flexible meeting spaces that can subdivide into smaller rooms and reiterated that portions of the EVOC project are expected to be completed this summer. He offered to follow up with exact counts and dates where staff did not have specifics on hand.
The committee did not take any formal votes on the facilities projects at the meeting. Staff said they will continue with bid packages 3 and 4 and return with contract awards and additional schedule details as bids are finalized.
