Progress is lagging slightly in the construction of a new
building going up at the former Futures building at 56-58 Chestnut
St.
Victor Aiello Jr., property manager for the Ridgway-based Aiello
Land and Development Group, said the project is running behind due
to a lot of problems. Most of the problems are due to a bidder from
Bradford who started building ahead of time but ended up not being
awarded the contract, he explained.
“We’re a little bit behind, but the building’s coming in on
Tuesday,” Aiello said Friday. “Once that starts getting put up,
you’ll see a lot of progress. The cement part (should be) all done
by this weekend.”
Aiello said the contractors met with the pavers, who are all set
to get everything paved.
“Everything seems pretty good,” Aiello said. “The state’s
working with us pretty good and are helping us with this guy
causing problems. They work with us 100 percent; they help us
out.”
The Ridgway-based developer is currently constructing a
2,500-square-foot building for the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
Aiello has said the contractor for the project, Allison and
Associates, finished up the demolition of the back part of the
building around the end of July. The demolition was supposed to
start on June 26, but was delayed until July 12 in part due to a
concern the power company had with an electric pole near the
building with a guide wire on it.
Aiello said the DMV is still set to move into the new building
in October, though it might be moved back just a little bit.
Aiello had said once the front of the building is vacated by the
DMV, it will be torn down, and a new 12,000-square-foot office will
be constructed for the local branch of the state Department of
Public Welfare. He had said Jan. 31 is the group’s deadline to
finish the building for the welfare office.
“By the beginning part of next year, the (building project)
should be totally done,” Aiello said Friday.
The Ridgway-based developer is meeting with the people at the
church behind the former Futures building in late September to talk
about tentative plans with the two buildings in the back of the
Chestnut Street building. He would not say what his plans with the
church are, since they are still tentative.
Futures Rehabilitation Center Inc. officials announced in March
of 2006 they were putting the property up for sale. It was
announced on April 19 that Aiello Land and Development Group had
purchased the building for ,225,000.
Aiello had said previously it was more cost efficient to
demolish the building and build a new structure in its place than
to remodel the existing building. He added that the total cost of
the project, including the sale price, would be more than ,2
million.
Ed Myslewicz, press secretary for the Department of General
Services, which handles state land and lease transactions with
various state agencies, announced in April the Commission of
Buildings and Grounds “approved a lease which provides for a
10-year term with three five-year options” at the Chestnut Street
location.
Last year, Robert Gleason, spokesperson for the Estate of
Stanley M. Gleason or S.M. Gleason and Co., the former owner of the
Gleason Building, was informed that the DPW would not renew its
lease for the office in the Gleason Building, citing “poor
conditions,” according to previous stories. The building went up
for sale, and the DPW’s lease expired May 31 this year.
John Vigliotti, owner of TUT Holdings LLC, the company that
officially bought the Gleason Building on June 29, said a temporary
lease was worked out with the DPW for the department to stay in an
office in the Gleason Building through next year when the office on
Chestnut Street is ready for occupancy.
