Library Building Committee Approves $73,638 Electrical Change Order, Authorizes Pipe Demolition

WESTBOROUGH -- January 20, 2026, Westborough Library Building Committee authorizes pipe demolition and clears $73,638 electrical change order. The committee, meeting remotely on January 20, voted unanimously to approve a $50,000 construction change directive to begin demolition of the building's existing chiller water piping after LPA's consulting engineer determined the original steel pipes cannot be reliably reconnected to the new HVAC system, with full replacement estimated at roughly $300,000. Project managers explained the pipes deteriorated because fabric insulation held condensation against the steel surface for years; mechanical subcontractor Performance submitted a demolition-only quote of approximately $92,000 just hours before the meeting, which the team called too high, prompting the more limited $50,000 authorization. The committee also approved Change Order No. 3 at $73,638.35, covering four electrical items including a full main electrical panel replacement after the original panel was found not to cut power to the building when switched off. A project dashboard shows $4.2 million spent to date with $6.7 million remaining, and roughly 56 percent of the contingency would be consumed if all pending change orders are approved. A potential special meeting was discussed pending an on-site schedule review January 23; the next regular meeting is February 17.