TROUBLED DAIBES PROJECT GIVEN NEW LIFE, AGAIN

Less than two months after pulling the plug on the troubled Daibes development project at Springfield and Burnett avenues, the Township Committee agreed to allow the work to continue.

But only with strict new conditions.

First, Daibes must deposit $100,000 into an escrow account that will revert to the Township if deadlines are not met.

Second, an architect monitor will be hired, at Daibes expense, to make regular bi-weekly inspections and make sure the housing/retail project stays on track.

If both requirements are not met through the estimated May 20, 2016 completion date, the housing/retail project can be terminated again.

"One thing we can do is throw them off the job," Mayor Vic Deluca said at Tuesday's meeting.

In October, the TC formally canceled the previous agreement after Daibes continued to miss deadlines for permits and completion of the project that was first announced nearly four years ago. Since then, the unfinished building has remained.

Daibes officials requested a new agreement Tuesday that was approved, 4-1, with TC Member Marlon Brownlee opposing.

"I don't have much confidence that the May 20th deadline will be met," Brownlee said Tuesday.

The agreement stipulates that Daibes deposit $100,000 in the escrow account and finish installing windows by Feb. 15. If they are not installed, the money will be kept by the Township and the agreement terminated.

If they are installed, then the monitor will begin regular inspections of the site every two weeks and report back to the Township. If the monitor finds the project is not on schedule, the agreement can be terminated as well.

"This sounds better," TC Member Kathy Leventhal said.