Ms. Sanders, years before I started working with the City (May 2019), the City Council approved the plan for a Public Works Complex (you refer as the City Lot Project) on Interchange Court. City staff and City Council members discussed the potential project with Historic Carver Village at least five years ago from the time when the Honorable Edna Jackson served as Mayor. From these meetings the plan evolved and the City made adjustments based on feedback from the neighborhood, reduced the size of the project by excluding the Sanitation Department and added a buffer between project and residential areas.
Any petition for the City to reconsider the plan will be presented too late. Unless the City Council wants to forfeit millions of dollars in lost construction and subject itself to multiple lawsuits from contractors, the Public Works Complex project must move forward. The City Council approved the contract at its July 2, 2019 meeting—a public meeting with no opposition expressed to the contract award. After time to complete contract documents and provide the required Payment and Performance Bond, the Contractor received formal “Notice to Proceed” on Sept. 19, 2019. On October 14, 2019, city staff met in a public meeting with the Carver Heights Neighborhood Association to provide residents with an overview of the project, timeline and opportunity to ask questions. The Contractor attended to solicit citizens that might be interested in pursuing jobs with the contractors on this (and future) projects. According to City staff there was no opposition provided regarding the project during the meeting.
Construction has moved forward, and the contractor is well underway on the building construction/foundations/building slabs for 7 of the 10 buildings. The contractor has completed 95% of the pond excavation, and also continues to work on underground storm water throughout the site, which will be followed by other underground utilities to follow. Work will be completed by June 2021.
Thank you,
Patrick C. Monahan
City Manager
Email: pmonahan@savannahga.gov
- Office: (912) 651-6415