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Protection from snow and ice that falls from downtown Omaha's Zorinsky Federal Building is coming soon in the form of a $2.2 million canopy project.
The federal General Services Administration has awarded a canopy contract to Tarlton Corp. of St. Louis. The work is to be completed by Dec. 21, said Cy Houston, director of project management for the GSA's Heartland Region.
Last winter, snow and ice fell to the sidewalk from the building's aluminum-clad windowsills and louver-like sunshades. No one was injured. But temporary scaffolding was set up to ensure that no one got hit.
The sills and shades were installed as part of the building's $58.7 million-dollar renovation. Officials have studied modifications to address the safety concerns. The building, at 17th Street and Capitol Avenue, was reopened in early 2008.
In April, crews from Lastime Roofing of Omaha installed pyramid-shaped guards on the metal windowsills so that in winter, large sheets of ice won't form on the sills.
That project cost $222,000. It is separate from the canopy project.
It turned out that a canopy above the first floor was eliminated from the original renovation design to trim costs.
The renovation project on the nine-story building ended up costing $18 million more than was estimated in 2001 and ran four years behind schedule.
The delay and higher cost were partly attributed to hidden structural defects and to the stricter security requirements imposed after the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City and the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., and others have criticized the delays and increased costs. Terry said the Zorinsky is an example of GSA's inability to competently build a building.
Houston said the contractor was given the official notice to proceed last week. He said the cantilevered canopy is designed to fit in with the building's architecture.
“We're looking forward to getting it finished up and getting the protection in place,” he said.
Contact the writer:
444-1109, bob.glissmann@owh.com
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