FAIRFIELD, CT — Remediation work on the pavilion at Penfield Beach in Fairfield is on pace to begin after Labor Day, according to the town’s Chief Administrative Officer Tom Bremer.
“We are expecting final design drawings to be completed by the end of the month,” Bremer told the Board of Selectpersons during a meeting Monday. “Those will be used for the bids on the project.
“As I stand here, we expect to begin construction after Labor Day in September.”
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Under the ongoing Fairfield fill pile illegal dumping case, contaminated fill was placed under the pavilion, and grade beams were installed incorrectly when the facility was rebuilt following Super Storm Sandy.
As a result, Fairfield is under orders from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to rectify the problems, which are estimated to cost $11.6 million, $10.6 million from the town, and $1 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act.
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A potential sticking point for the project is insurance, which the town is yet to secure.
Bremer said that the complexity of the project, which will involve clearing out the contaminated soil, and rebuilding the beams of an existing structure, is different from insuring a completely new building.
“We will not do the construction without insurance,” Bremer said. “I’m very confident we’ll be able to get insurance.”
Selectwoman Nancy Lefkowitz asked Bremer if he was concerned over the possibility of rising insurance costs when the budget for the project could be tight. Selectman Tom Flynn, who said he has had to secure project-based insurance in his professional life, added that the market for insurance in flood plains can be a hard one.
“I’m always concerned about pricing, but this is not your standard fare,” Bremer said. “It’s not your typical cookie-cutter project. Yes, I’m concerned about it, but I’m not worrying about it.”
Bremer expects the project to go out to bid by August, and believes that will help insurance companies better understand the scope of the remediation.
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