With the survival of many downtown businesses hanging in the
balance, we are informed by city officials that the project is
behind schedule. Way behind.
In considering Wednesday’s announced delay for the completion of downtown renovation, an old saying comes to mind: “No good deed goes unpunished.”
For several decades, the downtown languished when U.S. 101 was rerouted. There was constant, and justifiable, complaining that the area was becoming dilapidated, most of all from the merchants located there. Finally, the city was lucky enough to receive a grant to renovate the downtown core. The City Council granted the contract to Golden Bay Construction as the general contractor, and work began.
The decision to renovate cannot be faulted. It needed to be done, and the new streetscape nicely dovetails with new buildings that are popping up north of the downtown core, including the Cannery project to renovate the biggest downtown eyesore.
This decision was undoubtedly made while frankly acknowledging that the project would cause pain for the already distressed downtown merchants. The merchants knew that and reluctantly signed on.
And now, with the survival of many downtown businesses hanging in the balance, we are informed by city staff that the project is behind schedule. Way behind. New dates released Wednesday show the street will not be complete until Friday, Oct. 13. The sidewalks are scheduled to be finished Nov. 22, just in time for the start of the holiday shopping season.
While there is little that can be done about the extended rainy season this year or the work schedule of PG&E, we suppose we should have seen it coming when, during the longest days of the year, workers quit for the day at 3pm. This announcement is also particularly annoying in view of the weekly update e-mail provided by city spokesman Don Dey that seemed to say all was rosy, until now.
What’s done is done. We now find ourselves behind schedule. That the city cannot change.
However, what can be changed is the emergency planning that is desperately needed. For instance, should the city look at replacing Golden Bay Construction as the general contractor? While we can easily see that causing further delay as a new contractor gets up to speed, lighting a fire under Golden Bay by even discussing that prospect may be what is needed.
Also, if the contract provides for damages for running late, city staff and council should make it clear that they intend to enforce the contract to the letter. While the liquidated damages that could possibly be obtained cannot by law be disbursed directly to the merchants involved, we urge the city’s legal staff to investigate using any damages obtained to benefit those who are directly affected by repeated delays.
Most of all, we need transparency. What has city staff done to ameliorate the problems? Have there been meetings with the contractor? And what was the result? What other steps are being taken to bring this project back on schedule before it spins out of control?
Bad news does not get better with age. We need frank, honest appraisals here, and we need them right now. Our downtown merchants deserve nothing less.
