New windows, repairs coming to City Hall – Standard Speaker

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The city of Hazleton will use a $350,000 state gaming grant for replacing windows and completing roof and masonry repairs at City Hall.

The much-needed overhaul began taking shape with the arrival of warmer temperatures in recent weeks and includes work to replace 45 aged windows on the first and second floors with energy-efficient materials, said Dominic Yannuzzi, of Alfred Benesch & Co., the citys contracted engineering firm.

Additional upgrades include the installation of air conditioning units in the upper levels of Council Chambers, masonry repairs and a re-coating of the roof, he said.

The upgrades should lead to improvements in controlling the climate in Council Chambers, which fluctuates with the weather and creates an uncomfortable atmosphere in extreme heat and cold, Yannuzzi said.

Theyre going to help with reducing heat loss in the winter and reduce heat gain inside of City Hall in the summer, he said.

Improvements should also eliminate leaks and address a deteriorated section of the ceiling directly behind a seating area reserved for city council members, Yannuzzi said.

The city secured a $350,000 gaming grant from Luzerne Countys Local Share Account in late 2015 for the project, Yannuzzi said.

Contracts were awarded last year and additional time was needed for ordering and manufacturing the windows, the engineer said.

Oakridge Construction, Drums, is installing windows while Hudak Waterproofing and Masonry Restoration, Taylor, will complete roofing and masonry upgrades.

Approximately 45 windows will be replaced throughout the project, including a large set on the west side of City Hall, Yannuzzi said.

Officials evaluated conditions of existing windows and opted to replace the worst of the lot, he said.

Crews will replace windows that are between 30 and 40 years old, he said.

The majority of the project consists of window replacement, but Yannuzzi said some money has been earmarked for masonry and roof repairs.

The grant wasnt large enough to pay for an entire roof replacement so the city opted to repair sections while re-sealing the entire roof, he said.

It basically is repairing bad areas and re-coating the roof to be able to extend the life for a few more years until the city can receive additional funding to do a total re-roof, he said. Were going to look at alleviating the leaks.

Scaffolding towered over desks and chairs inside Council Chambers earlier this week and a thin layer of dust coated furniture inside the room.

The project will be completed next month, Yannuzzi said.

Contact the writer: sgalski@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3586

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New windows, repairs coming to City Hall - Standard Speaker