Norfolk firehouse construction progresses; plumbing change adds roughly $100,000 and shifts move-in to January 2027

Chairman Barry Roseman said the Norfolk Firehouse project is advancing, with concrete slabs poured in most areas and radiant-floor piping and rebar installed, but the committee also heard of subcontractor changes that will raise costs and shift the schedule.

Rich Breitenbach, project manager for Newfield Construction, told the committee that "the training room floor slab was poured last week" and that concrete for the remaining apparatus bay floors is scheduled to be poured once radiant-floor heating installation is finished. He said masonry has begun on the block wall separating the apparatus bays from the training room, carpentry in the training room is scheduled to start July 27, and roof trusses are expected Aug. 4, which will allow framing and exterior work to proceed.

Breitenbach and committee members discussed utility and sequencing matters: the apparatus bay slab requires about a week of curing before further work; underground electrical work continues; and Aquarion is moving forward with water-service installation to the site "in accordance with regulatory requirements," the minutes state.

The committee reviewed a change in plumbing subcontractors after the prior contractor, Performance, departed the project. According to the meeting record, L&R Mechanical of Bristol was selected as the replacement. "The original plumbing contract was approximately $406,000, while the replacement contract with L&R Mechanical is approximately $100,000 higher," the minutes state. The committee was told that Travelers, the project's bond company, has authorized proceeding with L&R Mechanical under bid-bond provisions and will reimburse costs up to the original contracted amount; Newfield is compiling documentation of delay-related costs to present to Travelers for possible additional reimbursement.

Members also examined an earlier specification change to the under-slab foam-board insulation beneath the apparatus-bay floor: the insulation was changed from the specified 25 PSI to 100 PSI before the pour, producing an additional cost for which responsibility is still under review.

The updated schedule places the Norfolk Volunteer Fire Department move-in under a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy in January 2027; demolition of the existing fire station is planned for winter and final project completion is anticipated around June 2027.

Committee members discussed options to protect the new concrete over winter, including partially or fully erecting the three-bay garage sooner than originally planned to provide frost protection. They also flagged the potential to encounter unknown or contaminated materials beneath the existing station during demolition and noted that any remediation costs are currently unknown. Other potential added expenses noted during the meeting included installation of a new diesel fuel tank, adding mechanical access above the meeting room for ductwork (and selecting code-compliant flooring and railings), and a pending quote for a radio base station and antenna from Pittsfield Communication.

Procedural business at the July 16 meeting included approval of the June 18 minutes (motion by Jeff Torrant, seconded by Ron Zanobi) and a brief executive session from 6:54 p.m. to 7:02 p.m., which invited Breitenbach and Mike D'Angelo to attend; the committee took no action following the executive session. The meeting adjourned at 7:04 p.m.

The committee set its next meeting for Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Norfolk Town Hall.