Kettering moves forward with $7.3 million police renovation project

The city of Kettering is moving forward with several infrastructure projects related to the multi-million dollar police station renovation and various street repair programs.

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In May 2018, city leaders voted to approve a roughly $7.3 million renovation to the existing police facility at the Kettering Government Center. The project will add an additional floor for office space for the chief, captains and administrative staff, as well as modernize that facility with new HVAC and mechanical equipment.

Brumbaugh Construction was awarded the renovation contract and council approved seeking bids for furniture, fixtures and equipment totaling an additional $529,000.

Assistant City Manager Steve Bergstresser said the contract with Brumbaugh is using what is known as Construction Manager at Risk Agreement.

Supporters say risk management agreements streamline the construction process by allowing an outside entity to manage a project on behalf of a local community, while others worry about potential lack of oversight regarding the contractor.

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Combine, the construction and furniture cost will be more than $8 million, as council passed an emergency ordinance to pay for the total cost of the project.

“The city intends to issue debt for the renovation project in the amount of $8.3 million,” Bergstresser said. “What is included in that is the approximately $7.3 million to Brumbaugh Construction for the actual renovation work and the approximate $500,000 for the purchase of furniture, fixtures and equipment. And we are also including an approximate $400,000 in design fees that we have already encumbered that went into producing the construction plans for the actual renovation project itself.”

He added that it is a 20-year-note and the city intends to sell bonds later this month and once the proceeds from the sale are in hand, the city will then sign the contract with Brumbaugh Construction in February.

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“We look to have a ribbon cutting in mid-to-late 2021 on this project,” Bergstresser explained.

Renovations aside, the $1.6 million 2020 Street Maintenance Program was approved to be put out for bid and contract. The annual program, which includes a number of different projects that are lumped together by separate bids.

“We have $825,000 set aside for general residential repaving in 2020,” Bergstresser said. “It also includes resurfacing of Shantz Avenue, a section of Forrer Boulevard, between Wilmington Pike and Smithville Road.”

Concrete repair and the Americans with Disabilities Curb Ramp repair programs for a total of $225,000 are also under the umbrella of the Street Maintenance project. Improvements to the concrete medians along Research Boulevard in the Research Park area are also included in this year’s program.

Council also approved advertising for bids regarding this year’s $750,000 Curb, Sidewalk and Drive Approach Repair program. This year the project is set to focus on several streets, including, Algood Place, Annabelle Drive, Beavercreek Lane, Berna Lane and Mohican Avenue.

“We are also planning to resurface under the same contract for Beavercreek Lane and Mohican,” Bergstresser said. “It also includes, as it does every year, minor repairs to areas around the city that are not specifically on these streets, but might be trip hazards or things like that. This is an assessment project and property owners will be assessed for the curb and sidewalk repairs.”

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Phase 2 of Kettering’s $1.5 million Traffic Signal Replacement effort is out for bids, for the federally funded traffic signal replacement program.

“The scope of this work will replace 6 traffic signals that are currently span wire with mast arms,” he said, of the signals that are clustered in the Delco Park area. Construction is due to start in the spring and conclude in 2021.

Council approved entering into a contract with ODOT regarding a $1.2 million project involving the resurfacing of Far Hills Avenue, from David Road to the Oakwood corporation limit, that will go out to bid this year. Construction will not take place until 2021.

The city is placing out to bid and contract for the $1.5 million Wilmington Pike Improvement project, which involves the resurfacing of part of East Stroop Road to the southern corporation limit.

“The majority of the project involves resurfacing this section of Wilmington, but we are also planning to install a new sidewalk on the west side of Wilmington Pike from just south of Bigger Road down to Woodman Drive,” Bergstresser said.

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