Ernest Bock & Sons
back on Rhawnhurst project

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

The city recently agreed to give Ernest Bock & Sons one more chance to finish the job at both the Rhawnhurst Recreation and Northeast Older Adult centers.
Rick Tustin, director of Philadelphia’s Capital Program Office, confirmed that the city put the company’s default status in abeyance two weeks ago. The default status took effect in July after the city claimed that Bock failed to adhere to design and schedule terms, which officials say played a role in the project’s two-year delay.
"We thought it was in the best interest of the community and the city, for sure, and for Bock," Tustin said.
The centers, which will serve seniors from the current Northeast Older Adult Center on Castor Avenue and youngsters from the Rhawnhurst Athletic Association, were originally supposed to open in May 2005.
Bock must now follow the original design suggestions set forth by the city and meet specific biweekly dates for construction. The company does get to review the schedule to make sure it can coordinate with its various subcontractors.
"I’m excited about getting it done for the community," said company president Tom Bock.
Bock credited City Councilman-at-Large Jack Kelly with facilitating the meeting that enabled the company and the city to reach an agreement.
"This thing was going on too long," Kelly told the Times. "The delay in completing the facility was totally unacceptable."
Tustin said he was on vacation when the meeting took place, but he noted that both Kelly and City Councilman Dan Savage (D-7th dist.), whose district covers the sites of the new centers, wanted to help move the project along.
Tustin said he couldn’t comment on legal issues related to the project, such as claims filed by Bock to cover out-of-pocket costs. Bock also said last month that it would consider filing litigation related to the default status because such a condition could bar the company from doing other city jobs for several years.
In addition to the Rhawnhurst job, Bock continues to work on a multimillion-dollar project at Philadelphia International Airport, Holy Redeemer’s Villages at Pine Valley and Gambrel Field in Frankford, an athletic facility that will be featured on the Fox television pilot Extreme Field Makeover.
Neither the city nor Bock has finalized the new construction schedule, but the contractor thinks it’s possible to finish the job by the end of the year. Last summer, eager seniors and sports teams thought they’d get to use the new facilities by Christmas 2006.
"It would be a nice Christmas present," Bock said. ••
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com