JHA chief optimistic on repairs after Prospect Homes construction bids opened

Dave Sutor, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Dec. 8—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Johnstown Housing Authority Executive Director Mike Alberts said that he is optimistic the agency can afford to repair Prospect Homes after bids for proposed construction work were opened on Thursday.

JHA closed the units at the public housing complex in Johnstown's Prospect section and relocated approximately 220 residents in March after structural deficiencies were found.

Most notably, a preliminary engineer inspection determined that the ceilings in all 110 units were "most likely destined for collapse" after at least one ceiling had already fallen.

Two companies bid to do the general structural work of repairing footers, floors, ceilings and roofs, along with alternate bids for kitchens and bathrooms. The bids came from:

—Leonard S. Fiore Inc., of Blair County — $2,818,000 for structural work, $524,000 for kitchen work, $338,000 for bathroom work.

—LMJ Contractors Inc., of Bedford County — $3,878,000 for structural work, $864,000 for kitchen work, $485,000 for bathroom work.

JHA received one bid apiece for proposed electric and plumbing construction. Those were not opened at the meeting. Instead, the authority plans to advertise those projects again.

"It's good," Alberts said. "I just added it up in my head. It's going to be affordable to us out of those un-obligated capital funds (that we have). We were expecting the general to be the most expensive part of this project. Having those bids, we're going to be confident — once we check everything out; we've got to make sure all the paperwork is in order, because if there's something wrong with that, this means nothing — this is going to happen."

Alberts said the structural work is "the stuff that absolutely has to be done," but added that the kitchen and bathroom upgrades were proposed to make sure everything fits together properly.

Contracts are usually awarded to the low bidder, although Alberts pointed out that both bids still must be inspected to make sure all the parameters are met. He hopes work can begin early next year and that tenants can return on a rolling basis as units get repaired.