(Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council) — Four past municipal administrations have come and passed since 2015 until the current 17th council leadership successfully jump-started the modernization of the Saipan local municipality at the heart of Saipan’s capital village in Chalan Kanoa located at the intersection of Dr. Torres and Tun Segundo Road east of the U.S. postal facility.
On Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023 at 2 p.m., local council chairwoman Marian DLG Tudela, vice chairwoman Tonie M. Tudela and secretary Carmen C. Pangelinan will host first lady Wella S. Palacios and CNMI legislative and executive government officials, Saipan business representatives and residents of Chalan Kanoa for the historic construction groundbreaking in the rebuilding of the municipality legacy project in cooperation with project contractor R3A.
R3A (not R3B as earlier reported) topped three other contractors in the invitation-to-bid selection process (ITB23-GOV-42300074) for the nearly $1 million Chalan Kanoa municipal legacy project.
Construction will begin late this month or early October, once R3A receives from the Public Assistance Office the standard notice-to-proceed or NTP document and the required regulatory permits are secured by the contractor authorized in the NTP.
The project time runs for 270 calendar days: completion is anticipated for late June to around late July next year in 2024.
The $97,000 reinforced two-story architectural design was a seminal work product completed by the late A&E Richard Cody assisted by Jaime Pangelinan of the Guam-based Taniguchi Ruth Makio Associates firm.
The Saipan municipality legacy project features the main reinforced concrete ground floor structure with mechanical works, plumbing components, and electrical connections.
Although the percolation in the surrounding area prevents massive flooding, additional flood prevention is built seamlessly with the asphalt-based parking facility that funnels runoffs to an existing ponding basin.
The public parking features concrete safety curb, curb stop, pavement stripping, entry/exit sign, stop sign, and ADA signs. The parking facility is also connected with sidewalks to and from the ground floor main entrance to the building.
The parking will be secured with parking steel light poles and solar-operated flood lights equipped also with interior and exterior CCTVs.
The construction contract also adds a landscaping component on the entire municipal facility using local trees such as Cassia glauca, Tournefortia Argentea, and Singapore plumeria.
Palms will add a tropical flavor to the landscaping with Cocos nucifera, and Ptychosperna machartiurii.
The landscaping will feature shrubs including Allamanda cathartica, Bougainvilla spect, Gardenia jasminoides, Alpinia purpurta, Heliconia humilis, and Hibiscus rosa sinesis.
As ground covers, Cynodon dactylon and Ophiopogon japonicus will feature prominently in the landscaping.
When completed next year, the Chalan Kanoa municipal facility would enable Precinct II representatives perform services at and be accessible to constituents at a Chalan Kanoa satellite office as part of the partnership networking with municipal leaders in the Saipan council and mayor within walking distance to the Chalan Kanoa Leadership Kiosku Courtyard and the United States Postal Services.
The municipal legacy project is funded by FEMA, OIA, the Precinct II leadership infrastructure project and the third senatorial district project cost sharing match.
