Two projects are continuing to move along in Jefferson.

City Administrator Mike Palmer says crews are working on the front facade of the former AirTemp building on the east side of the downtown square and are finishing installing the brick work. He talks about the other updates with the building.

“We want to have all the glass and everything in it and the front done by Bell Tower Festival (in June). One of the units is right now being remodeled for an insurance company who bought it. Our work on the interior is pretty much done. We’ve stabilized the inside, have the walls and ceilings all in place. So now it’ll be up to the new owner to remodel as they see fit.”     

The north bay belongs to Heritage Insurance and the south bay is owned by Philip and Bridgette Heisterkamp to be turned into a healthy food and coffee location called Mustard Seed Coffee House. 

Palmer says another project concerns the animal shelter in the Greene County Development Corporation West Business Park along Highway 4. He points out there were issues with soil compaction when the contractors started installing the metal frame of the building. Palmer notes at the beginning of the project, a lot of dirt work had to be done.

“Well we had to over-excavate the lot quite a bit. We had to take about 10-12 feet of existing soil out and then put it back in and compact it in layers. Apparently that might have been where there were some issues with the compaction itself. But the fix is to put (concrete) pilings down next to the foundation to stabilize it some more. That’s all been done by structural engineers so we’re confident that we can move forward now.”

Palmer adds the cost to repair the foundation is between the contractor and the soil compaction company. However, he says despite the slight delay, the shelter is on target to be open by October.