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Madison council OKs Hartley Dodge East Wing funding as trustees boost grant to $5.2 million
Summary
The Borough of Madison accepted a $1.2 million increase from the Hartley Dodge trustees and awarded a construction contract to EPIC Management for the East Wing renovation project, with council adopting the necessary appropriation ordinance and staff outlining a temporary relocation of offices during work.
Mayor Connolly and council members on Monday confirmed funding and next steps for renovating the East Wing of the Hartley Dodge Memorial.
Tyler Merson, the project site coordinator, told the council the trustees have increased their original $4,000,000 commitment to $5,200,000. "The original commitment was for $4,000,000 on tonight's agenda as an addendum supplementing that grant award and increasing it from 4,000,000 to 5,200,000," Merson said.
Merson and borough staff said the apparent low bidder for construction is EPIC Management, with a base bid of $6,100,000 and three alternates that bring the total to about $6.7 million. The contract includes work to core-drill for an elevator shaft, reorient a finance-department entrance for better public access, and install a centralized HVAC control system to replace the building's three separate systems. The architect estimates an 18-month construction schedule.
Council discussion noted accessibility and museum planning. Mayor Connolly said the lower level will house the building-code department with a direct entrance, the main level will host the Madison Historical Society museum, and an added elevator will provide barrier-free access to the museum."This will, for the first time, [create] a centralized HVAC control system," Merson added, describing benefits for occupant comfort.
The council adopted Ordinance 36-2025, appropriating $1,500,000 from the general capital improvement fund toward the East Wing renovation; the roll call vote was unanimous.
Borough staff said the building-department, land-use office and tax assessor's office would relocate temporarily to the Ambulance Court Building (the parking-lot side on Maple Avenue) around Sept. 15 to allow phased construction. The borough also plans a public check-presentation and ceremony with the trustees at an upcoming meeting.
Next steps: the council approved the appropriation and related resolution authorizing the grant addendum. Construction award and contract execution were recommended to proceed with EPIC Management as the apparent low bidder, subject to final contract documents and standard municipal approvals.
