Board approves change orders to add storefronts, restore masonry on Broad Street

A city staff member told the New Castle Board of Works on June 15 that change orders for the downtown preservation project will replace two garage doors at 1114 Broad with storefront systems and restore original brick masonry at 1120/1122 Broad.

The presenter said the changes would add two leasable storefronts to the downtown and help “round out the budget” for the preservation grant after another building withdrew from the grant allocation. The transcript records the presenter saying the modifications would allow the storefronts to be activated and that the work will return the second building’s entryway to its original brick masonry.

Sebastian Bash was identified in the discussion as the person who proposed replacing the garage doors with storefront systems. The presenter said the project team had priced the two garage-door conversions individually and had included a separate masonry scope for building two; the team planned to return to the board later with recommendations for any remaining grant funds.

The Board of Works voted to approve the change orders by voice vote, with the motion carried two to zero. The board directed staff to finalize paperwork; the presenter stated Robbie would sign the approvals.

No contract amounts, specific grant line-item totals or lease commitments were disclosed in the recorded discussion. The presenter described the grant reallocation as coming after “a building ... pulling out of the grant” (phrase taken from the transcript); the meeting record did not provide a street number for that withdrawn project beyond the presenter’s spoken phrase.

Next steps noted in the meeting: staff will finalize the change-order paperwork, obtain signatures and return to the board with recommendations for remaining grant funds and any additional scope changes.