By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A $3 million blowout has been announced on the long-awaited Dandenong New Art gallery (DNA) project.
The sum was listed in the City of Greater Dandenong’s draft 2023-’24 budget, after two years of delays and a contractual dispute with the builder.
It pushes the estimated cost of the major contemporary art gallery in Mason Street Dandenong from $7.2 million to more than $10 million.
In the meantime, the legal dispute with builder Harris HMC has yet to resolve.
And the project’s completion date, originally mid-2021, is still yet to be finalised.
Councillor Tim Dark said “it’s extremely disappointing the way in which the whole project has gone”.
“The site has come to a grinding halt. It looks like a complete and utter eye-sore right in the heart of Dandenong.
“The ultimate loser is the ratepayer.”
Councillor Jim Memeti agreed it was “very disappointing” that the ratepayers have been “slugged” for extra, after the project was put in motion several years ago.
The dispute with Harris HMC arose after council engineers assessed the works as unsatisfactory, including the new steel framing at the former circa-1920’s Masonic hall.
“No one was happy but from the council’s point of view, you give someone the work and you expect it to be done properly,” Cr Memeti said.
“(The steelworks) had to be dismantled and put up the right way.”
When asked for an estimated end date, Cr Memeti said “you’d definitely expect it to be the next financial year (ending June 2024).”
Greater Dandenong acting chief executive Paul Kearsley said the proposed $3 million would cover the completion of the DNA gallery, with the contract dispute “nearing completion”.
“A procurement process for the appointment of a new contractor will not be commenced until the original contract dispute is completely resolved.
“A revised completion program will be developed when a new contractor is appointed.”
The total cost and time blowout “will not be determined with any certainty” until the new contractor’s appointment, Mr Kearsley said.
Harris HHC general manager Andrew Headberry recently told Star Journal that the firm had asked to be released from the contract due to the council’s “inaction”.
Harris was prepared to fix “small defects” mainly to do with concrete sub-structures, but the council “decided to do it themselves“, Mr Headberry said.
“I don’t understand the council’s reasoning and position. I’ve tried over many months and now years to engage in reasonable dialogue with council at all levels, including the (former) CEO and (former) mayor, and made zero progress.”
When finished, the DNA facility is expected to be a gallery of regional significance.
It will include state-of-the-art exhibition spaces, workshop spaces, café and retail, active outdoor spaces and public art.
