MERCER COUNTY Agency prepares to break ground for senior center

The agency board approved a bond issue for financing and awarded contracts forthe project.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR SHARON BUREAU
MERCER, Pa. -- Mercer County Area Agency on Aging hopes to break ground July 12 on the expansion and renovation of its Shenango Valley Center of Aging and Geriatric Health.
The project calls for the renovation of 6,500 feet and an 11,000-square-foot addition to the building at 220 N. Buhl farm Drive, Hermitage.
The agency's board of directors finalized financing for the project and awarded nine construction contracts for the work Thursday.
The votes came after a Mercer County commissioners' meeting in which the county agreed to guarantee the repayment of a bond issue should the agency be unable to make the payments.
The agency board voted to borrow $2.43 million in a bond issue through Mellon Financial Markets LLC of Pittsburgh.
That will cover the approximate $1.4 million construction expense as well as the $379,000 renovation cost of the building's original portion and furnishing the completed structure.
The construction contract awards were made contingent upon the review of the bidder's documents by the agency's solicitor and Mercer County Regional Planning Commission, said Ann Marie Spiardi, executive director.
Action taken: The board named an architect, Thomas J. Keller of Canfield, and a project manager, Rien Construction of Brookfield, to design and oversee the renovation and construction. The two will be paid $89,000 each for their services, Spiardi said.
The board also accepted some grant funds to help with the project financing, approving contracts with Hermitage to accept $100,000 from the city's federal Community Development Block Grant funds, the county to accept $290,000 in CDBG funds and the state Department Community and Economic Development to accept a $20,000 grant.
The latter money will be used specifically to buy a big-screen television and computers for a computer lab at the new center as well as a commercial freezer and stove for the agency's Greenville Senior Center, Spiardi said.
The construction contracts were awarded to these low bidders:
UGeneral construction: Kreidler Construction Co. of North Lima, $594,930.
USite work: Donald Lark & amp; Sons Excavating of West Middlesex, $222,322.
ULandscaping: Cottage Gardens Landscaping of Hermitage, $39,060.
UConcrete work: Ash Brook Group of Boardman, $49,145.
UFood service: Curran-Taylor of McMurray, Pa., $87,925.
UFire protection: Comunale Co. of Warren, $41,856.
UPlumbing: D.J. Hannon & amp; Sons Plumbing of New Castle, $74,846.
UHeating and air conditi0oning: D & amp; G Mechanical of West Middlesex: $97,192.
UElectrical: Penn-Ohio Electrical Inc. of Masury, $183,000.
gwin@vindy.com