1928 Building Committee Moves Project Toward Final Phase Ahead of Early-January Completion
FARMINGTON — The 1928 Building Committee met on November 25, 2025, moving through a long docket of construction updates, financial approvals, technology purchases, furniture procurement, and scheduling adjustments as the project continues its steady march toward an early-January finish. Members cited continued progress in the building’s interior, approaching state inspections, and the complexities of an upcoming full-department move.
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Chair’s Report and Public Comment
Attendance was light, and no members of the public offered comment. The chair noted that progress across the project had been “excellent,” with the remaining work described as “pretty spectacular” once complete.
Committee members shared that Town Council has scheduled opportunities to view the building before year-end. High School Committee members will also be invited to join a December tour.
Construction Updates: Floors, Blinds, Panels, Elevators
The contractor walked the committee through current status:
- Blinds have been installed throughout the building.
- Cleaners are finishing the third floor and preparing to move to the second.
- First-floor corridor flooring is underway.
- Gym wall pads, acoustical panels, and above-ceiling sound clouds are in place.
- Dance room wall panels are installed.
- Break room appliances have been set.
- Elevator contractors hope to finish their portion next week.
- Masonry patching and walk-in fills around older areas are complete.
A December 5 inspection by the state is scheduled for the vault, following a pre-drywall review earlier in the project.
Contingency Items: From Window Trim to Sprinkler Heat
The committee approved multiple change orders:
- $8,887.51 for work around the old elevator shaft.
- $54,575.75 for stairwell window conditions discovered once walls were opened.
- $4,500 credit for unused lintels.
- $7,926 to add heat to the sprinkler room to avoid freeze damage.
- Additions for outlets, FRP protection panels, and data racks requested by IT Manager Tryon Rush.
Members emphasized that change orders continue to be reviewed with scrutiny.
Invoices Approved
The committee approved monthly invoices for:
- Silver Petraselli — $22,000
- INTL — $350
- J. Apaluccio — $72,390
- KBE — $1,360,181.86
All had been reviewed internally and by the financial subcommittee.
Book Rollers, Moving Contracts, and Furniture Procurement
The committee approved:
- Book rollers for vault shelving—installed as part of the archival storage system.
- A not-to-exceed $48,586.90 contract with William B. Meyer for professional moving services. The project budget includes $25,000 for moving; the balance will come from contingency.
- A not-to-exceed $213,337.07 furniture purchase from Interstate Commercial, under state contract.
- $200,000 will come from the project budget.
- $13,337.07 will come from a Town Hall capital account.
Displays of lobby seating, conference layouts, cubicle configurations, and meeting-room solutions were shown. The committee emphasized cohesive design choices and the need for a structured future replacement program.
Technology Upgrade
Northeastern Communications and Electrical provided a quote for $6,738.61 to add a fiber line between the existing Town Hall and the new facility. Funds will come from the technology account.
Financial Summary
As of the meeting:
- KBE is 82% expended;
- J. Apaluccio 54%;
- Silver Petraselli 93%.
Contingency now stands at roughly $160,653, after accounting for moving costs, book rollers, materials testing, and approved change orders.
December Meeting Changes
To ensure invoices can be processed while avoiding holiday-week conflicts, members voted to:
- Reschedule the December 9 meeting to December 16 (with a building tour).
- Cancel the December 23 meeting.
- Hold the December 16 meeting in the Town Hall Pavilion due to scheduling conflicts in Council Chambers.
Closing Notes
Members expressed enthusiasm for the building’s nearing completion, particularly the furniture selections, though not without one final lament from the dais: no recliners with cup holders would be included.
The meeting adjourned following a motion and second, with wishes for a pleasant Thanksgiving.
About the Author – Jack Beckett
If caffeine were a zoning category, I’d require a variance every morning. I cover Farmington’s civic machinery with a mug of something too strong, trying to decode the logistics of public meetings before the coffee wears off. When I’m not writing about budgets, vaults, and acoustical panels, I’m thinking about refilling my cup ☕️.
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This article, “Farmington’s 1928 Building Committee Advances Vault, Furniture, and Move Planning as Project Nears Completion,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Farmington’s 1928 Building Committee Advances Vault, Furniture, and Move Planning as Project Nears Completion”
by Jack Beckett, The Farmington Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)