Village repair project is on schedule

PENN YAN--Director of Public Works Brent Bodine says everything is planned and work is progressing on repair of the hole created on Seneca Street almost three years ago when a flash flood led to the historic Owl's Nest building that covered Jacob's Brook being destroyed.
Crews are working now to insert a temporary pipe, the first step in the process of installing the permanent structure that is scheduled for completion by Memorial Day.
Bodine said the project that began Feb. 8 is "on time and on budget." He explained that this is the first step of many that will ultimately lead to a paved free public parking space by the end of the summer.
The Wenzel Company, a site contractor out of Elmira Heights, is currently installing a pipe that will serve as a temporary measure, Bodine explained. It is there to divert water while the footers are laid for the permanent structures to be built.
According to Bodine, The Wenzel contract includes connecting the end of the pipe that you can see under Seneca Street to an already existing pipe underground. Bodine said, "That creek goes underground on the north side of Elm Street next to the Wagner Restaurant so what we are doing will handle as much water as the pipe that is there."
Once the pipe is in, Wenzel's Company will also back fill the hole up to grade and build a retaining wall and brick column pier fencing very similar to what the village did on East Elm Street. Penn Yan village crews will take over for the final phase of the project and complete the grading and black-topping.