TOC construction to begin Friday

Construction is set to begin on the new Town Operations Center in Chapel Hill, which will house both the public works and transportation departments - and officials say plans are running on schedule.

The project is set to break ground at 2:30 p.m. Friday.

The center is moving from the Horace Williams tract to a piece of land on Millhouse Road, north of Eubanks Road, between Interstate 40 and the nearby railroad tracks.

The center's lease on the UNC-owned Horace Williams property expires at the end of 2006. The University is not renewing the contract because the land is planned to be developed into Carolina North, its future satellite campus.

Both departments will move their entire operations to the new site. Though the groups do not plan on adding any new services, they will finally have room for all their current projects, said Mary Lou Kuschatka, director of the transportation department.

"(The new center) allows us to not just ease overcrowding now, but allows for expansion in the future," she said. "We've looked at the whole layout with the thought that if in 10 to 15 years we need to expand, we can do that."

Bill Terry, interim director of the public works department, said that the existing center was built on the Horace Williams tract in 1979 and that the new facilities will be upgraded and modernized.

"(The new center will) fit our operations better than the ones we have now," he said.

The move will end up costing the town a total of $42.9 million. Terry said the project will be financed through a general bond.

"It's the largest capital project the town has ever undertaken," said Bruce Heflin, assistant town manager. The new site includes 89 acres, and plans are under way to develop 50 of them, he said.

The groundbreaking ceremony Friday will kick off the process of clearing away vegetation and controlling erosion, Heflin said.

The next step, scheduled to begin late this winter or in early spring, will include road improvements and water quality protection.

Terry said the town has been involved in the design process for a year now with architects from Corley Redfoot Zack Inc.

"They're finishing up all the drawings," Terry said. The architects are working on the detail design work, which includes plumbing and electrical wires.

After designs are complete, the town will begin soliciting bids from construction companies.

On Sept. 27, the town approved a bid from Sanford Contractors Inc. to take care of the first part of construction on the center.

Heflin said the project still is within the town's budget.

Both Terry and Heflin said plans for the new center are staying on schedule and are not running into any problems.

"I think we're in good shape and we're where we expected to be at this time," Terry said. "I'm optimistic we'll stay on schedule."

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.