MUSEUM EXPANSION UPDATE

Bent Thomsen, Steering Committee

(Extracted from the May/June 2010 newsletter)

Following a snowy Mother's Day, we are getting ready to start work on the creek bank stabilization behind the old Boi1er Plant that we discussed in the March/April 2010 newsletter. The work was awarded to Brillo Excavating and Waste Disposal. We have notified NYS Department of Environmental Conservation that the anticipated starting date is May 17, 2010. The dry month of April has resulted in a low flow of water in Skaneateles Creek, which will help facilitate the work on the creek bank.

Once that work is finished, installation of the air conditioning system for the new buildings can be completed. The outdoor compressor unit will be located just adjacent to the stabilized creek bank.

Work has been contracted to fabricate and install the steel mezzanine along the north wall of the old Boiler Plant. The work was awarded to Leo's Body Shop. The mezzanine will be four feet wide and will be suspended from the roof structure. It will be accessed from the second floor of the south section of the Connecting Wing. The mezzanine will enhance viewing of the boats that will be displayed in the Boiler Plant.

These projects will just about deplete funds currently in hand. For the last couple of months, the Steering Committee has been working on the final report and documentation to release the $75,000 reimbursement grant sponsored back in 2008 by Senator John DeFrancisco and funded through the New York State Capital Assistance Program. The Empire State Development Corporation is administering the grant, which will reimburse us for work completed on the Archival Wing and related Creamery improvements. We are hopeful we'll have the funds by the end of June 2010, so we can complete all remaining interior work within the Boiler Plant and the Connecting Wing.