Published: June 14, 2008 08:09 pm         

City forges ahead with demolitions

Council considers new teardown contracts

DANVILLE — The Danville City Council on Tuesday will consider approving additional asbestos abatement work at the former Fairchild Village, 1305 E. Fairchild St.

The additional work will cost $14,500 and be performed by I.F.E. &S. Inc. of Broadview, prior to the building’s demolition. The total contract with the company is $101,200.

“This is our last of asbestos abatement activities,” Public Works Director Doug Ahrens said.

The additional work wasn’t anticipated with the original project. Additional quantities were discovered inside wall cavities and remote areas that needed to be removed.

Aldermen last week questioned whether the city would see any reimbursements.

Mayor Scott Eisenhauer said the city does know the owner and is pursuing costs.

“We lien every demolition we do for all costs,” he said. Those costs include for asbestos abatement.

Eisenhauer said demolitions have been moving more slowly than expected because of various factors including the weather and two contracted businesses not completing the work in a timely manner.

Aldermen will consider terminating contracts for demolitions that already should have been completed at:

331 Harmon, 509 Lafayette, 7 S. Buchanan and 12 Corrine by A & P Services of Danville at costs of $8,500, $9,750, $4,000 and $9,750, respectively.

431 Jackson St. by Champion Environmental Services of Gilberts, Ill., at a cost of $27,000.

According to the city’s resolution, “Champion Environmental Services has not performed the work by the stated deadline and A & P Services has not provided all documentation confirming compliance with the specifications and/or performed the work prior to the stated deadline.”

The council approved the contracts in February.

Aldermen will consider re-awarding the demolition contracts for:

331 Harmon — Daniel Ribbe Trucking of Tilton, $8,799.

431 Jackson — Bob Brown Construction of Danville, $28,500.

509 Lafayette — Thomas Excavating of Danville, $15,604.

7 S. Buchanan — Bob Brown Construction, $24,500.

12 Corrine — Daniel Ribbe Trucking, $11,649.

Funding comes from the demolition bond issue.

Also Tuesday, the council will consider:

Setting a public hearing for 6 p.m. Aug. 5, at city hall for the proposed Tax Increment Financing District, Campus Corridor Redevelopment Project Area near Danville Area Community College.

Vacating part of Bensyl Avenue in the Heights, east of Avenue A and South of U.S. 150, at the request of Robert and Judith Smitley.

The council’s public works committee recommended denying the request last week. Some aldermen questioned whether the street vacation was needed to solve a neighbor issue regarding shrubbery.

Vacating an east/west alley south of Williams Street, east of Gilbert and across from Schroeder’s Drive-In at the request of Charles P. Harry and Marvin and Edwina Dossey.

Appropriating $37,000 in funds for the city’s share of the Main Street widening and reconstruction project from Buchanan to Gilbert streets, and authorizing $65,000 in funds for the construction of grade crossing improvements at the CSX crossings at Franklin, Walnut, Hazel and Jackson streets.

Ahrens said the majority of the funding for the Main Street project was for the conversion of the traffic signals at Hazel, Jackson and Walnut streets.

Approving a professional services agreement with Clifton Gunderson for auditing services at a fee not to exceed $39,950 for the city and $3,200 for the Danville Public Library.

Approving a $40,800 contract with Anderson Electric, Inc. of Danville for electrical work at the new public works facility on Voorhees Street.

Ahrens said this is for a major conduit run and includes work to convert power panels with new switches. Part of the work also includes installing the lighting over the vehicle maintenance area. City staff will complete some other work.

Approving submission of an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice grant application for $12,545 in federal funding for the city police and county sheriff departments.

Approving a grant agreement with the state for International Drive, to serve ThyssenKrupp’s expansion.



COMING UP

The Danville City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Robert E. Jones Municipal Building, 17 W. Main St. A special public works committee meeting will be at 5:45 p.m. to consider terminating contracts and re-awarding new ones at higher costs for dilapidated structure demolitions that have yet to be completed.