September 27, 2013 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch Page 13 OCComfort Station Project Enters Final Phase By JOANNE SHRINER STAFF WRITER OCEAN CITY – As construction of the Caroline Street Comfort Station nears its end on the Boardwalk, city officials are hoping to have the demolition of a former fire station completed by next week and foundation work on a replacement underway soon after. The old underground restrooms at Caroline Street and the Boardwalk were demolished last December and the construction of a new, state-of-the-art facility complete with a performing arts stage began shortly thereafter with a projected finish date in May before the arrival of the summer season. However, a wet spring and some poor decisions slowed the construction process, and it became apparent the new facility would not be completed for the start of the summer season. When poor weather continued through much of June, further slowing the construction of the new facility, the city contracted with a private waste disposal company to provide temporary restrooms for Boardwalk visitors on a site immediately adjacent to the construction site and just behind the Fireman’s Memorial on North Division Street. At the end of August, the new Caroline Street Performing Arts Stage and Comfort Station was given a month to be completed. At that City Engineer Terry McGean expects the restrooms inside the new Caroline Street Comfort Station and Stage to be completed by the end of this month and the entire project completed by the end of October. Photo by Shawn Soper time, the contractor, Black Diamond Builders, had already entered into its penalty phase for missing the deadline. “They continue to make progress,” McGean said. “They are hoping to have the bathrooms complete and open by the end of next week … they are hoping to have the full building done by the end of the month [October].” The contractor has been instructed to complete the interior of the bathrooms before concentrating on finishing the stage and the remainder of the exterior of the building. According to McGean, what’s left to be done regarding the bathrooms is the remainder of the roof and solar towers, as well as counters, sinks and minor plumbing. Next, the stage will have electric work to be completed, siding will go up and the dressing rooms finished. “It has been a combination of a complicated building, weather and SEE PAGE14 Do You Need A New Dentist? Choose one of Delmarva’s most credentialed and experienced dentists! Voted Best Dentist & Best Orthodontic Practice • • • • Fellow, Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) Master, Academy of General Dentistry (MAGD) International Lecturer on Advanced Dental Techniques Former Clinical Dental Professor • Over Twenty Years Experience • State-of-the-Art Modern Facility • Less Than 2% Of Dentists Are Awarded A Masters Designation Providing everything in adult and children’s dentistry including sedation dentistry for the fearful, cosmetic dentistry, veneers, implants, oral surgery, root canals, periodontics, traditional orthodontics, Invisalign and Invisalign Teen.