New Canaan is entering a $120,500 contract with a White Plains, N.Y.-based architectural firm as it pursues a much-needed repair of the roof at Waveny House.
The 14,000-square-foot roof has been leaking, according to Bill Oestmann, superintendent of buildings and fleet with the town’s Department of Public Works.
“Replacing the concrete that the roof is made of would be very difficult and expensive,” Oestmann told the Board of Selectmen at their regular monthly meeting on May 17. “We’re actually going to be using lumber to repair failed sections of the roof.”
The town is retaining the services of KSQ Architects—the same firm that worked on the Town Hall renovation and expansion—for the job. The $120,500 figure covers plans, specifications, administrative fees and $10,500 in contingency.
The contingency dollars are needed due to the roof’s size, material and intricate design, Oestmann said.
Selectman Beth Jones said that while the fee will cover a large planning phase of the roof replacement, it is only about one-tenth of the cost of the total capital project. Oestmann said that the expenditure mostly covers a total overhaul and replacement of the roof’s tiling.
Both the selectmen and DPW officials said they were pleased that the same principal engineer for the Town Hall renovation will be working on-site.
For Selectman Nick Williams, the project was a major achievement for an important building. “It’s a big project, considering the architectural and historical significance of the house,” Williams said. “We’ve talked about this being one of our crown jewels.”
“The 140,000-square-foot roof has been leaking, according to Bill Oestmann, superintendent of buildings and fleet with the town’s Department of Public Works.” I’d be highly amused if that were, somehow, the contracted and accepted roofing square-footage for Waveny. 140,000 is a roof of a large Costco at 3.21 acres. Makes the contract cost seem downright reasonable!