The company contracted to build the Cayuga County’s Sterling Nature Center has pulled out due to the increase in the cost of lumber.
The project will need to be put out for bids again since the cost of materials has increased since the original lowest bidder received the contract.
The county had originally hoped the begin construction in the spring and open in October of 2022.
A new plan was developed that will allow the solicitation of general contract bids to begin in October of this year and construction to begin in the second quarter of 2022.
Taxpayers are paying very little for the project with 93% of it being covered with state grants and funding from the private Friends of Sterling Nature covering another 5%.
The county received $14,873,990 in funding through the American Rescue Plan Act and can use some of it to cover the increased costs of the new bid.
The plan to build the 5,000 square foot nature center with a parking lot and trail improvements has been in development for several years. The new building will replace the Jensvold House that currently serves as the interpretive center.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected]