City receives proposals for Restore New York costs

NORWICH – Two city committees are reviewing proposals for the demolition of condemned houses and the engineering and/or construction of replacement structures.

The work is funded, in part, by a $300,000 Restore New York Grant the city received in January.

City of Norwich Planning and Community Development Specialist Todd Dreyer recently informed members of the Finance/Personnel and Public Safety/Public Works committees that he had received proposals from Burrell’s Excavating, Gary Brightman and Chenango Engineering for the work.

The proposals focused on the property located at 52 Fair St. The current structure, which was condemned after a fire several years ago, will be demolished. Burrell’s submitted a proposal listing the cost of demolition and the removal of materials at $9,800. Dreyer explained that while the city’s policy is to seek at least two proposals, Burrell’s was the only proposal received for the demolition phase of the project.

“I anticipate an award of contract to Burrell’s will be made at Tuesday’s meeting of the Common Council,” Dreyer said.

Instead of building a new house on the Fair Street lot, the city has been negotiating with the Chenango Valley Home to purchase an existing house located on its property. The former Rice home, located at 16 Canasawacta St., is one property now owned by the Chenango Valley Home, and if the building cannot be moved off the site, it will have to be demolished in order to make additional room. While negotiations have been made, the city will have to make a formal purchase offer for the property before the deal is complete.