Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com
The proposal to overhaul the aging Falls Township Municipal Complex and bring it into the 21st Century is moving forward.
Last week, the Falls Township Board of Supervisors entered into an agreement with an architectural firm to revamp the 60,000-square-foot complex along Lincoln Highway.
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Philadelphia-based IEI Architects has been hired by the township. The vote was 3-0, with Supervisor Chairman Jeff Dence and Supervisor Erin Mullen being absent.
Supervisors granted $1,364,402 to IEI Architects’ five-phase proposal in June. Additionally, the supervisors approved fee reimbursements up to $33,000.
The proposal calls for a thorough renovation of the current structure. Administration, code enforcement, the fire marshal, finance, parks and recreation, the police department, clerks, the tax collector, public works, as well as a change from a public meeting room to a community room, which could be used by residents and neighborhood organizations, are all slated for improvements. The municipal building will be upgraded to include extra support and amenity spaces, shared, flexible meeting rooms, incubator space for start-up firms, and more.
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IEI Architects will seek to assist township departments that have either outgrown their location or are operating in spaces that are impractical for modern municipal needs.
In a statement, township officials said IEI Architects will make efforts to incorporate cost-effective green design and construction practices. There will also be an effort to reduce water and energy use.
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The first floor of the complex will house all municipal functions for the benefit of visitors who are elderly or have physical disabilities, officials have said.
“IEI is working on a new interior and exterior facade design,” Supervisors Vice Chairman Jeff Boraski said. “The township is always open. We’ve offered tours of the building. You can hear and see sometimes we’ve had tiles fall out and the water leaks and sometimes the heat will shut off in the winter.”
The municipal complex has been called a “maze” and needs improvements. The supervisors want to modernize the facility and enhance the flow.
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The work is expected to begin in the coming months and be completed in 2024.
By September 9, according to Township Manager Matthew Takita, officials should have a rendering of the municipal complex, with plans finalized in fall.
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Earlier this year, the township hired Grace Construction for $585,000 for management during course of the project.
IEI Architects came recommended by Grace Construction.
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The supervisors have also hired Jones Engineering Associates to work on improvements at a cost of more than $235,000.
The current plan is the latest effort for the township to improve their offices.
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In 2016, the supervisors greenlit construction of a new 55,174-square-foot municipal center next to the existing building, but higher-than-expected cost estimates tanked the project.
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