By Judy Rife
Times Herald-Record
Published: 2:00 AM - 01/17/12
CHESTER — After several false starts, Coach USA is now really-and-truly poised to begin construction this spring on a new office and garage complex in the Tetz Industrial Park off Route 94.

"We are going to have a building up this year," said George Grieve, general manager of Coach's Northern District and president of Short Line. "It's really going to happen; I don't foresee any more hiccups at this point."

The $16 million project will result in Coach's relocation from Mahwah, N.J., bringing new jobs and new tax revenues to Orange County and improved bus service to commuters.


Project to take about 12 months
Grieve, following a meeting with the company's architects and engineers last week, said he has set a weather-permitting date of March 15 for a formal groundbreaking. Construction of the 192,000-square-foot building is expected to take about 12 months.

In the coming weeks, however, preliminary work will begin on the 52-acre parcel that Coach purchased in 2006.

Grieve said Tetz, which has continued to mine gravel with Coach's consent, is removing its equipment and engineers are finishing water and soil tests required by the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Storm King Contracting of Montgomery, Coach's contract manager, will then erect a fence around the construction site and install an office trailer there.

"They've applied for their permits and that, to me, says it's a go,'' said Chester Supervisor Steve Neuhaus on Monday.

Neuhaus, who has joked about how this groundbreaking has acquired "an urban folklore quality" over the past five years, said the company is also meeting regularly with the town building inspector, engineer and attorney.


About 225 employees at site
The building permit, at $1 a square foot, will bring the town $192,000, and Coach will place another $50,000 in escrow to cover the cost of town inspections of the construction.

The complex will house about 225 people, including office, maintenance and operations personnel, as well as Coach's bus fleet. Buses will be stored indoors to contain emissions and noise.

The consolidation of bus operations and maintenance, now scattered in multiple locations, will enable Short Line to respond more quickly to rush-hour capacity and mechanical issues in the heart of its service territory.

Buses, in addition, can be repaired and cleaned overnight in this central garage, and dispatched already warmed up or cooled down in the morning.