Amenia Board hears analysis on cost of new town garage

MILLERTON — Taking another step toward construction of the new town garage facility, the Town Board at a special meeting on Thursday, June 12, heard a presentation from an architectural engineering company with options for clarifying cost estimates.

Representing CPL Planning Engineers of Poughkeepsie were George Schmitt, Senior Engineering Project Manager and Jonathan DiRocco, Senior Architectural Project Manager.

“The feasibility study did not provide cost analysis,” DiRocco explained, referring to the early conceptual planning for the new town garage facility including salt and sand storage shed. Any early cost projections are now outdated, he added.

The project design phase is the next step, DiRocco said, describing three distinct design phases, including preparatory site work, the buildings and the perimeter fencing.

Anticipating infrastructure work needed, DiRocco said that the garage would need on-site water and gravity flow septic design, in addition to stormwater management to align with new regulations in 2025. Identified infrastructure “hot spots” include the salt storage shed, and fuel storage.

“Every drop of stormwater must be treated,” reported Town finance director Charlie Miller, resulting in a significant cost increase over earlier estimates. He added that town crews can accomplish some of the site preparation work, a cost saving.

“We won’t know until we go out for bid what the actual numbers will be,” Miller said.

Other cost-saving design changes were proposed by CPL, reconfiguring some of the building’s interior, following consultation with town employees. Miller suggested addition of a garage lift, as the town benefits from town crew being able to do truck maintenance in-house. A lift would assist with that work.

Discussion included whether to phase the project, sure to result in increased construction costs over time, or whether to construct all at once. Miller noted that it is less costly to do the project all at once.

Town Supervisor Leo Blackman clarified that scenarios presume that the project will be built over time.

“If we push the phases out too far, the costs increase,” Blackman said.

Miller recommended the hiring of a construction manager, an item not yet included in cost projections.

Current timing suggests that following site preparation, the buildings would be delivered in 2027.