LEWISTOWN - Local contractor Dave Miller, owner of Penn State Construction in McVeytown, doesn't understand why the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was so quick to condemn over 140 tension fabric-covered buildings.
Miller is one of many contractors in Pennsylvania who installs and maintains these buildings that are often used to store salt or other materials for de-icing roadways in the winter, but now, these buildings are scheduled to be demolished.
Miller had several projects lined up with PennDOT, but when the agency ruled these fabric-covered buildings unsafe, they pulled the plug on these building projects Miller had managed to secure for his company.
According to PennDOT documents, the agency is conducting an "emergency solicitation" for work involving the demolition of more than 140 of these buildings and the construction of more than 100 new buildings.
Deputy Press Secretary Steve Chizmar said one of the companies that manufactures these particular fabric buildings issued a safety notice earlier this year which prompted PennDOT to hire an engineering consulting firm to examine any potential danger. The firm, C.C. Johnson & Malhotra, P.C. examined these structures after the Canadian company Cover-All Building Systems Inc., issued a safety notice regarding their fabric-covered buildings.
Representatives from both CCJM and the company that recently purchased Cover-All Buildings' assets following a bankruptcy, Norseman, a Saskatchewan-based company, declined to comment about this issue.
Charles Babcock Senior Vice President with CCJM referred all questions to Robert Kleimenhagen Jr., Central Region Facility Administrator for the Department of Transportation, who also declined to comment on the issue and referred questions to the PennDOT's press office.
Chizmar said the study done by CCJM concluded that these buildings were susceptible to collapse from high winds or heavy snow fall.
Miller disputes this claim that all of these buildings are unsafe and feels it is unfair to presume that all of these buildings are unsafe based on a limited-in-scope engineering study.
Miller said there are several companies that manufacture these buildings for contractors to install, including the company he uses, Winkler Canvas LTD, which has been manufacturing these buildings for 30 years without one building failure.
On Wednesday, Miller said he finally received CCJM's report on the limited study the company did on the fabric buildings, something he has requested access to for some time.
Miller added that CCJM suggested retrofitting the buildings it examined at a minimal cost.
Miller said in the 18 years these buildings have been used by PennDOT, there have been no structural failures.
Senator Jake Corman, R-Bellefonte, has suggested that PennDOT look at each one of these buildings and determine the best course of action on a case-by-case basis.
Corman said he understands PennDOT has ruled these buildings unsafe, however he feels this may be an "over reaction."
Miller again reiterated that it is possible to retrofit these existing buildings to address PennDOT's concerns, which would cost a 10th of what it will cost to destroy these buildings and construct new ones.
Chizmar said the estimated cost to construct the new buildings and demolish the old ones is around $25 million. The new buildings would be made of wood or metal.
Chizmar said the life-span of the fabric covered buildings is approximately 15 years, many of which have already reached that age.
Miller said he finds it "interesting" that PennDOT would be so quick to spend money on these particular projects, when it can't afford to repair and maintain all the structurally-deficient bridges and roads in the commonwealth.
Adding to Miller's frustration is the way in which the bid process has been laid out, which he said will prevent smaller companies, such as his, from bidding on these new projects.
According to PennDOT documents, bid submissions are due Sept. 10, and a notice to proceed will go out to those contractors awarded projects by Sept. 21.
Chizmar said PennDOT is attempting to complete the demolition and new building projects by the end of the year.
