Greensburg OKs $140K in additional repairs to Maple Avenue garage

It will cost Greensburg less than it expected to complete repairs to the Dr. Robert W. Queale parking garage on Maple Avenue.

Council last week awarded the project to Allegheny Restoration, which submitted a total bid of about $140,000 for the two-phase project. That was well below the costs cited by four other contractors, which ranged from about $184,000 to about $257,000.

“The bids came in surprisingly under our expectations,” said councilman Randy Finfrock, citing an initial projected cost of $200,000 per phase.

The two-level garage was partially closed from late July into September of last year as Carl Walker Construction made emergency repairs at a cost of about $155,000. That work was prompted after a hole appeared in the lower-level ceiling and crumbling concrete fell to the pavement below.

Additional work to the garage’s concrete structures isn’t as urgent, but it’s needed to prevent further deterioration, according to city public safety director Tom Bell.

He said contractors “haven’t found anything structurally concerning. These are all basically cosmetic repairs that need to be done so we don’t get into a situation where it would affect the integrity of the garage.”

Through time, water exposure has contributed to spalling of the concrete, Bell said. Spalling occurs when a concrete surface peels, breaks or chips away.

He said the contractor will begin by making repairs to seams between sections of the upper garage deck. The second phase will make repairs to both horizontal beams and vertical support beams.

Bell said a time frame for the work has yet to be determined. It’s expected that work will be staggered, with partial closures of the garage.

“When it’s done. we’re going to have almost a brand-new garage,” Finfrock said. “We’ve gone from reacting to problems to saying, ‘Let’s get ahead of the curve a little bit.’

“We’re to the point where we can get ahead of these things and do routine maintenance ahead of schedule.”