After a deadline for the $4.7 million Robert "Fuzzy" Furlong Field House was missed on Sept. 30, the facility will now open no later than Wednesday, Oct. 15, according to Jeral Construction Project Manager Ralph Greco.
Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G) must install a meter in the field house’s three-phase power box before Jeral and its subcontractors can put the finishing touches on the 17,500-square-foot project, which broke ground in July 2007.
"Right now we have temporary power, which is what we’ve been using throughout the job," Greco said. "Once the three-phase power is turned on, we will be able to run the elevator, the rooftop units and the main power for the entire building. We will also be able to apply for the Certificate of Occupancy once the meter is installed."
PSE&G was originally scheduled to install the meter on July 26, but "didn’t send anyone out," Greco said.
According to Greco, PSE&G did not show up for a Sept. 26 appointment, either.
Everton Scott, the regional public affairs manager for PSE&G, told The Times the meter will be installed tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 3. The company only received a request from Jeral three days ago on Sept. 29, Scott said.
"The call came in to us on Monday, and the meter will be in on Friday," he said. "PSE&G cannot complete any phases of a project until the company in charge requests us to do so."
Once the meter is installed, Greco said his team will need no more than a week to test the field house’s functions and clean the building for use.
Aside from the Sept. 30 deadline to open the locker rooms, which will house several Montclair High School athletic teams, Greco said Jeral scheduled to have the project completed by the first week of October. Separate cardiovascular and weight rooms and a multipurpose building adjacent to the field house are the other major components of the project.
"We are still planning to open the locker rooms up first and be out of here no later than Oct. 15th. But it’s all predicated on the power and when it’s up and running," said Greco.
Five MHS teams — football, boys and girls soccer and boys and girls cross country — are waiting to move into the field house for their autumn seasons. While the teams have dealt with not having a place to meet and change since the preseason in August, it doesn’t soften the blow of the delay.
"It’s been a tough situation. Everyone is certainly anxious to get into the building," said John Porcelli, Montclair High School’s vice principal for athletics and activities. "Right now, there isn’t much of an option other than the teams changing at the high school. Hopefully, in a week or two, this will be over with and the entire complex will be open."
The high school intends to dedicate the field house, which is situated between Woodman and Fortunato fields on Essex Avenue, before the Mounties’ Oct. 25 football game against Clifton.
Porcelli said the school doesn’t have an alternative plan at this time if the project is not complete by that date.
"The school set the date of Oct. 25th because we were assured that the entire project would be complete by then," he said. "It appears everything is still on track to open on that date. It’s certainly a day we are all looking forward to very much."
The project, a vision of the MFEE/True Blue Initiative in 2003, came to fruition in 2004 when the family of Robert "Fuzzy" Furlong granted $3 million to the Board of Education.
Montclair residents Josh and Judy Weston, former Montclairite John Whitehead and the late John McMullen, previous owner of the New Jersey Devils, donated an additional $750,000.
The final $1 million dollars was approved by the Township Council in 2004 when it accepted the Board of Education’s capital budget.
In addition to providing locker and meeting rooms for several Montclair High School athletic teams, physical education classes, school meetings and special functions will take place in the multipurpose room once it is open.
