For Water Tower, a long overdue repair

New roof part of city-funded project

Water damage above the main stairwell of the Water Tower Recreation Center. Roof repairs were a major topic at a community meeting in July. (Photo by Michael J. Mishak)

by MICHAEL J. MISHAK

While two different segments of the Chestnut Hill community sparred recently over the fate of the Water Tower Recreation Center, all concerned agreed on one thing: the need for a new roof.

Last week, the city gave the go-ahead for that and more.

With the help of City Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller, the aging facility at Ardleigh Street and Hartwell Lane found its way onto a list of three city recreation centers scheduled to undergo major renovations this fall.

After a five-month bidding process, the city awarded a construction contract to McMullen Roofing, Inc. in July and issued a “notice to proceed” last week. McMullen, a Kensington-based industrial roofing contractor, will perform a variety of repairs at the Water Tower and two other recreation centers in Northeast Philadelphia.

According to the city’s Capital Program Office, the bill for all three will run between $735,000 and $747,000. The Water Tower project is expected to cost about $300,000, said project director Eric Iffrig.

The work includes a complete roof replacement and pointing work. The repairs are long overdue. Much of the main building has sustained water damage over the years, and longtime volunteers say the city’s piecemeal approach to fixing it has only made matters worse.

In fact, concern over the state of the Water Tower led the Chestnut Hill Community Association to form an ad-hoc committee earlier this year to explore options for improving the recreation center. News of the new roof provides a much-needed boost to Water Tower volunteers, particularly as they focus on fundraising.

City officials are set to meet with McMullen Roofing next week to establish a work schedule. “We’d like the contractor to start as soon as possible and work through the fall,” said Iffrig, the project director.

Still, the project timeline may remain flexible because of the nature of the work. Workers must complete the roofing before they can measure for metal trim improvements in water-damaged sections, he said.