Town officials last week approved an approximately $20,000 contract with a Valhalla, N.Y.-based firm to get design and engineering plans for a roof replacement at The Playhouse building on Elm Street.
The roof has “a lot of problems,” according to Department of Public Works Superintendent of Buildings Bill Oestmann.
“That roof has been leaking,” he told members of the Board of Selectmen at their regular meeting, held July 7 via videoconference. “It’s in bad shape. The cupola up there needs work, too.”
First Selectman Kevin Moynihan and Selectmen Kit Devereaux and Nick Williams voted in favor of the $19,493 contract with Watsky Associates, Inc.
The actual roof replacement has been estimated to cost about $230,000, officials said.
Oestmann said Watsky would figure out what needs to be done to bring the roof up to code and then put together a design plan and put together bid documents for the project in about four to six weeks.
“I’d like to have a fall project,” he said. “I’d like to have a a project right now to be honest with you, because the theater is closed, but that’s not possible. So we will have to work with the theater, too, as far as when they are reopening, if they are showing movies. I don’t think people would appreciate a lot of hammering going on while they’re watching movies, so we will have to work with them closely on this.”
Citing spikes in COVID-19 virus cases in parts of the nation, Gov. Ned Lamont last week postponed “phase three” of Connecticut’s phased reopening, which is expected to include indoor venues such as movie theaters. The Playhouse has been closed since mid-March.