The town of Swampscott is seeking a new contractor for the Preston Beach Entrance Improvement Project, which has been progressing much slower than planned.
Swampscott reached a settlement with its initial contractor K.B. Aruda Construction in late September following difficulties in the project, and the two parted ways.
The town will open bidding for Aruda’s replacement on Oct. 21.
“This project should have taken six weeks tops to complete,” said a source from the town hall, who spoke on condition of anonymity. It has now stretched on for more than five months.
The project was designed by the Boston-based company Klopfer Martin Design Group, whose plans were put up to bid for contractors this March.
The town chose K.B. Aruda, a company based out of Cambridge, whose bid of $33,250 was the lowest offered, according to information published on the town website.
The project was initially slated to begin on May 1 and finish by late June, but was postponed because the town would not let contractors operate during COVID-19. In the meantime, Aruda took on another contract and was not able to begin until late July.
The issues with Aruda arose when the construction company laid the pavers in sand instead of concrete as the town expected.
Now the project essentially needs to be started from scratch.
“Right now, we’re going to have to replace the concrete slab underneath the pavers. And then the pavers will be set in cement,” said the source. “And that will pretty much complete the project.”
The project is expected to be completed by the end of November, more than six months after it was originally set to break ground.
“I’m looking forward to its completion,” said the source. “It’s dragged on for a while.”
The town is also planning another construction project along the shoreline. The King’s Beach Seawall Repair Project, for which the town recently signed a contract with a Winthrop construction company, is expected to begin in the next few months.
According to the town hall, the Preston Beach project is expected to cost between $25,000 and $30,000.
