There was supposed to be a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Faster on Sept. 25, but general manager Gunnar Wieboldt postponed the ceremony because of problems with town inspections that required Faster to tear down its drywall.
Wieboldt said he was concerned about the way Chapel Hill’s inspections department has handled his project.
“Had the inspection department of Chapel Hill been more professional and cooperative, we would have made this deadline with ease,” Wieboldt said in an email to Chapel Hill town officials Sept. 29.
In a response email, town staff said delays were caused by a number of reasons, including unpermitted and unsafe working conditions at the site, backlog at the inspections department and unclear communication.
“Mr. Wieboldt’s project took place during a period of high demand and a shortage of staffing, which we are correcting,” the email said.
Wieboldt said the town now appears to be working on making the process more efficient.
“It was a complex project renovating an old building for a new purpose,” Wieboldt said of his space, which sits on top of Time Out and the bar Deep End.
“We should have allotted more time to ensure that the town had sufficient opportunity to confirm that construction was both safe and in compliance with local ordinances.”
