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

Chenango County Public Works Department:
• Construction of cell three at the Pharsalia landfill will be wrapped up by the end of the month. DPW Director Randy Gibbon said he was currently reviewing covering options, whether tire chips or stone.
• A $32,000 Senate Transportation Committee grant sponsored by Sen. Thomas W. Libous, R-Binghamton, announced July 23 will be used to replace and upgrade four traffic lights in the towns of Norwich, Guilford and German.
• County leaders accepted the lowest bid for roof repairs needed at the Rexford Street highway garage. Weathermaster Roofing Company, Inc. of Binghamton bid $51,000 for the job.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Roof replacement:
• New roofing on the front, peaked sections of the converted 1890s’ era Martin family home at 99 N. Broad St. in Norwich was installed last week. The two flat sections of the Extension’s previous 30-year old roof were replaced last year.
• The capital project also included new, automatic doors for the offices’ rear entrance. Extension Director Keith Severson said it took two years to raise funds that included individual donations and grants from foundations, organizations and the offices of New York Senator Thomas Libous, R-Binghamton.
• Two upstairs bathrooms will be made handicapped accessible and receive new flooring this fall. Also, the building’s exterior will be power washed.

Employment stats:
• The Chenango County Office of Employment and Training reported a 4.7 percent unemployment rate in July. The figure compares to a 4.7 percent in July of 2006 and 4.6 percent in June.

Garf’s:
As part of the Main Street grant, offered by the New York State Housing and Trust Fund Corporation and organized through the Norwich Business Improvement District several local businesses are making improvements. Garf’s Deli is making facade improvements to its store front, which will include a new awning and brick repair and painting. The BID has secured $400,000 in funding for local businesses. The program works as a 50/50 grant, with 50 percent of money for improvements coming from the grant, and 50 percent from the business owner.

Housing Starts (modular, double wide and stick built):
• The Chenango County Codes Enforcement Department reported 23 housing starts in the month of July. There were one each in the towns of Afton, Guilford, Norwich and North Norwich; two in Plymouth; three in Smithville, McDonough and Bainbridge; and eight in Smyrna.

Norwich City School District building project:
• The beginning phases of the two-year, $35 million upgrade and expansion project got underway this summer and will be wrapped up in time for the first day of school, District Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan said last week.
• Workers are currently installing computer wiring, water lines, air conditioning ducts and other overhead utilities into ceilings and on the buildings’ roofs.
• Extensive work in the Norwich High School’s new Internet server room is also in process. O’Sullivan said the $400,000 information system’s pricetag includes upgrades for 10 years out.
• Foundation work for a new curved classroom wing off of the Middle School continues, as well as preparations for new fitness and sports practice areas between the two buildings.
• Workers put down artificial turf at the school’s football field last week. O’Sullivan said the stadium’s stands could also be replaced. “It might not be enough to shim them,” he said. Decisions to reallocate and adjust funding for specific tasks such as the stands has been “constant,” he said, but have fallen within the scope of the project.
• O’Sullivan said students and faculty should expect some disruptions during the school year, however most of the ongoing construction will take place after regular school hours and during breaks. New lockers are set to go in over the winter break, for example.
• Work on the high school’s new main entrance, administration suite and health center is scheduled to begin shortly.

Oxford Memorial Library expansion project:
• The library’s building committee anticipates opening bids Aug. 15 for the second phase of the $1 million expansion project at the 200-year old former manse of covered bridge builder and inventor, Theodore Burr. The first phase, a young adult/teen reading room, was completed this spring
• The second phase of the project includes renovating two existing downstairs rooms on the library’s northwest corner and creating a new 16 by 22 foot director’s office with book intake area, a research room and space for stacks.
• Building committee Chairman Bill Troxell said half of the phase two funding came via a New York State Council of the Arts grant.
• Fundraising continues for phase three of the project: a community, multi-purpose room. Troxell said the library committee had received grants and pledges from Price Chopper, Blueox and NBT Bank among others. A second NYSCA grant would be used for architectural fees. The committee also applied to the New York State Library Association for a construction and an air conditioning grant. Both could be awarded as early as this fall.