A solution has been found to repair the exterior wall problem that has necessitated closure of the downstairs entrance to the Peachtree City Library.
The investigation into the problem, meanwhile, determined that Conmac Construction failed to follow construction drawings when the walls were erected, failing to attach them to the interior concrete block wall and steel frame. Conmac built the walls when the library was expanded in 1995.
That report indicated that of three problems relating to the veneer cracks, two of them would have been avoided had the construction drawings been followed, and the third deficiency could have been remedied by using a standard practice during construction.
The low bid for the repair work was $49,500 from United Restoration and Preservation of Fayetteville, and it was approved Thursday by the City Council.
United Restoration has pledged to finish the work within 30 days.
Because the work was done so long ago, the statute of limitations has expired on any chance the city might have to sue Conmac, City Attorney Ted Meeker has said.
The problem with the walls was discovered earlier this year as a large crack was discovered along one of the exterior walls. For safety reasons, the city closed the downstairs entrance to the library until repairs could be made.
The problem went undetected in 2005 as the city replaced all the library’s exterior walls which had similar problems, city officials said.
United was the lowest of nine companies bidding on the project, undercutting the next lowest bid by more than $10,000.
The $49,500 in funding for the repairs will come from the city’s reserve account.
Mayor Don Haddix asked city staff what is being done on construction projects now to make sure things like this don’t happen again. City Engineer David Borkowski said both he and Safebuilt, the city’s building department firm, will make periodic visits to the library repair site.
Borkowski noted that back in 1995 there were no requirements for the masonry wall construction to have a particular inspection as part of the construction process, and there still is no such requirement.
Haddix said his main concern was that the city was having similar post-construction problems come up years after the project was finished.
