Once the construction of Dunkin’ Donuts Park resumes, several major issues will need to be addressed, according to the design firm Pendulum.
Pendulum resumed its work on the future home of the Hartford Yard Goats (Class AA; Eastern League) in August, when the City of Hartford paid an outstanding debt worth more than $245,000. Its upfront task was to survey the construction of Dunkin’ Donuts Park, which had been overseen by developers Centerplan Cos. and DoNo, LLC until their contract was terminated by the city in June, effectively halting work on the facility.
The report reveals several issues with Dunkin’ Donuts Park, including structural problems–cracks in the dugout roofs, for instance–water damage, and errors in certain installations. Pendulum’s survey, which was conducted by Jonathan O’Neil Cole, yielded many problems, which were summarized by the Hartford Courant:
The report detailed multiple instances of doors being much smaller than required to match openings, which resulted in large amounts of sealant being used to close gaps, electrical outlets installed in the wrong places and in contrast to the designed drawings, improperly installed sprinklers, cable trays that interfere with signage, and gaps where walls and other structural elements meet throughout the ballpark.
In one instance, the report noted “daylight at intersection of exposed joints not installed to manufacturers specifications. Typical throughout project.”
The report, dated Sept. 5, found repeated instances of “daylight” — around doors in premium suites, around ventilation and exhaust ducts, in the roof above the fireplace and sports bar, and in one case a gap in a men’s room floor that allows one to see into the floor below.
The document also identifies errors in workmanship in the premium suites, including improperly installed tile, doors, electrical outlets and counter tops.
What is unclear at this point is how these problems will affect the project’s timeline. The City of Hartford and the Yard Goats have stated the mutual goal of completing construction by the team’s 2017 home opener, which is scheduled for April 13. However, none of the key players in this process were available to comment on the Courant’s story, so it is uncertain whether these problems were anticipated by those involved in the project.
The resumption and completion of Dunkin’ Donuts Park is now in the hands of Arch Insurance, which has not yet announced a new contractor. Once work does resume, many of the mistakes made earlier this year will at the forefront of the ballpark–which is expected to end up costing more than $71 million.
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