Late summer opening eyed

POOL UPDATE

by Ruth Osborn

rutho_news@lwsb.com

From the outside, the LW Pool and Spa facility looks like a completely stalled construction project; there’s not a lot of discernible progress.

But like a fallow field, the project is teeming with underlying activity that will yield a first-class pool in the near future.

This foundational work between the GRF and the architect, SGE Consulting Structural Engineers, will ensure that once the shovel hits the dirt, construction will be streamlined because of the attention to detail spent getting the plans right.

Fewer mid-construction change orders will mean less unbudgeted money spent and a faster construction pace.

The pool is now fully designed, and plans have been returned for a final review by the City of Seal Beach and the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA).

GRF Physical Property Manager David Rudge, who is overseeing the project, expects approvals and permits in the next couple of weeks, with construction set to begin immediately thereafter. The pool is expected to be ready for residents by late summer.

Rudge acknowledges that project delays have been frustrating. He attributes much of the slowdown to a perfect storm of setbacks. Unforseen and catastrophic infrastructure deterioration required expanding the job amid an unfolding pandemic.

The COVID-19 crisis interrupted project schedules due to staff shortages and work changes to protect people from the spread of the virus.

This has been true of projects throughout the construction industry. Staggered shift schedules, limited number of workers on site and staff sickened by the virus have impacted project productivity, according to the Association of General Contractors of America.

Projects are now taking longer and