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Spat with builders stalls fire station
By JAMES THORNER, Times Staff Writer
MEADOW POINTE -- A dispute between Pasco County and a Tampa building contractor has suspended construction indefinitely on a new fire station in Wesley Chapel. The delay, which postpones the project until next year, also affects a station planned in Hudson. But the Wesley Chapel situation is more critical. Little more than a shell of unfinished concrete, the future Station 26 on Aronwood Boulevard is a potential savior for neighborhoods such as Meadow Pointe. To reach the southern parts of Pasco near New Tampa, fire engines and rescue trucks need as much as 15 minutes. That's because the nearest station sits on Dayflower Boulevard in Quail Hollow, and trucks need to cross the traffic-choked interchange of Interstate 75 and State Road 54. "We need to get into that Meadow Pointe station as quickly as possible," Pasco Fire Rescue Chief Anthony Lopinto said Tuesday. Pasco suspended construction on the stations Oct. 29, suggesting crews from its low-bidding contractor, Nelco Construction Inc., leave the sites. Nelco's Bruce Harkness said the county was upset by delays that pushed completion of the buildings to December, two months later than the scheduled Oct. 11. Along the way, the company replaced several project managers. Pasco also blamed Nelco for failing to lay stabilizing grout under 10 steel columns in the stations. Harkness said the company laid concrete, which he said was equally effective. The county has 90 days from the October work stoppage to decide whether to let Nelco finish the job or resume construction with another contractor. "We are exploring all our options," assistant county attorney Jane Fagan said. "We anticipate moving forward very shortly." Pasco agreed to pay Nelco more than $500,000 apiece for the stations, but Harkness complained his company hasn't been paid for its last two months of work. "Nelco's position is we're big boys. We signed up. We're going to get this job done," he said.
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From the Times |
