Progress seen on contract for Preston Riverwalk site

Preston - The Preston Redevelopment Agency is one step closer to approving a final demolition, salvage and abatement contract with Manafort Brothers Inc. for the Preston Riverwalk site

By next Tuesday, a copy of the contract will be e-mailed to agency members for their review, Chairman Kent Borner said Wednesday.

The contract is still in the final stages of discussions, but Borner said the agency expects to approve the contract in an executive session next Wednesday after its regular meeting.

"Hopefully, the effective start date will be within a week after we sit down with them and sign the contract," Borner said.

Once on site, Manafort will begin the two phases of the abatement and demolition plan. The first phase includes site access control, assessment of the buildings on the 390-acre former Norwich Hospital site, a list of immediate scrap and salvage and a estimated demolition cost per building.

The second phase includes the abatement of the Ribicoff building, the tunnels underneath the buildings, and the cottages and conduits across the street, Borner said.

The agency hopes to begin demolition in the upcoming month.

"The first three task orders for abatement have to be forged very quickly after the contract is signed," agency member Kerry Gentry said. "The critical path is the contract, the specs and the task orders if we want a building to come down in October."

- Julianne Hanckel