Though the project to build the Senior Center/Fire Station at 121 Avenida has been postponed since last month due to the contractor Gamut Construction, Inc. unable to complete its contractual obligations, there is now hope it will soon be completed, albeit a few months off schedule.

City Council voted in favor of a contract with Fidelity and Deposit Company at Tuesday’s City Council meeting providing for the finish of construction of the overall project.

Council also opted to authorize City Attorney Jeff Oderman to make any necessary minor, non-substantive revisions to the agreement.

“[Gamut] had a lot of internal company problems and we really didn’t anticipate this kind of contractor trouble,” City Building Official, Mike Jorgensen said. “The co-owner of the company and his wife are in the middle of a divorce and the situation there just went from bad to worse until June when the wheels fell off.”

So far the City has paid about $900,000 out of the $4,300,000 that was owed to Gamut before they notified the city that they could not complete their contract. Right now, details are being worked out as far as the construction takeaway agreement is concerned.

Fidelity and Deposit Company have assured the City that they plan to complete the Senior Center/Fire Station in April 2011—seven months later than the original completion date, which was set for October of this year. Jorgensen also said there will be very nominal change orders associated with the project’s completion. Jorgensen also relayed information that Gamut Construction has also had problems finishing projects in several other locations in southern California—notably two fire stations in Chino and a fire training center in Riverside.