EDITOR’S NOTE: The Bricks & Mortar Report will provide updates on Mondays on major construction projects in Chenango County.

DOT Truck Storage in Sherburne
* A large structure is being constructed on Route 80 in Sherburne, and the New York State Department of Transportation hopes they will be able to get inside within the next few months.
According to Michael Dale, resident engineer for the NYS DOT of Chenango County, the construction project began last fall and the super structure of the building should be completed by the end of the month.
The 105-by-50 square foot building will feature six bays for storing plow trucks and other equipment. “We’ve been parking outside, and when you get sub-zero temperatures, sometimes the trucks don’t want to start well,” Dale said.
Once the building is complete, the DOT will still have to complete some work on the interior of the building. They plan to contract out for some of the jobs and complete some on their own.
“Our goal is to have the building completely done and usable by winter,” said Dale.
Dale could not say exactly what the cost of the building project was, because it was constructed as part of a New York State Office of General Services contract that included nine buildings statewide.
“We’re very happy that we will be able to be inside. It should help us to maintain and start the vehicles,” Dale said.
Halfway House Bridge (County Route 32B):
• The project was awarded to Tioga Construction of Herkimer last week for $2.9 million. It is 95 percent funded via the federal and state highway departments.
• Work is slated to begin this summer and to be completed in the fall of 2008. Public works officials say there will be a time next summer when traffic will be detoured to Chenango River crossings in Norwich and Oxford.

Housing Starts (modular, double wide and stick built):
• Chenango County Codes Enforcement reported the following new housing starts in May: one each in the towns of Smithville, Coventry, German, Bainbridge, Afton and the village of Afton; two each in the towns of Columbus, Preston, Norwich and Oxford; and five in the town of Guilford.

Norwich Business Improvement District:
• The following buildings on Broad Street in downtown Norwich are scheduled for facelifts this summer: Chiarino’s Insurance Agency, McLaughlin’s Department Store, Garf’s and the Coffee Connection.
• The work will be funded in part via a 50/50 match with the New York Main Street Program administrated by the Norwich Business Improvement District. The program allows up to $10,000 per project.
• “All have been allocated for facade and/or renovation happening to their building,” BID President Pegi LoPresti said.
• A second group of buildings could be rehabilitated over the next three years, including the Broad Street Tavern/Cut Above Hair salon building, Hayes Office Products, Ives Creamery and McNeil Jewelers, Inc.
• The new facades are intended to tie the buildings in keeping with the character of downtown, LoPresti said.

Raymond Corporation:
• The 73,000 square foot, $16 million expansion that got underway late last year at this Greene-based forklift manufacturer continues. Contractors report that the plant will be weather-sealed by August, and the entire project completed in the first quarter of 2008.
• This month, workers are preparing the finished goods area and will move in the plant’s hydraulic systems processes in July. Space created for the company’s new quality paint application system will follow.
• According to Kevin Trango, marketing and communications manager, the expansion is designed to provide for higher quality paint applications, finished goods and fabrication.
• The larger facility will encompass 420,000 square feet.