Council debates options for city hall rehab as architect cites $2.9M plan; some members press for second opinion

City staff presented multiple architectural options for dealing with long-standing deficiencies at Lock Haven’s municipal building and fire station, prompting an extended debate about whether to repair, remodel or build new.

Speaker 6 (staff) described three alternatives developed with the architect: expand fire bay space and convert existing bays to police use (an estimated $2.9 million all-in figure including soft costs); acquire and renovate a nearby storefront for administrative offices (roughly $1 million estimated, including purchase and remodel); or pursue a comprehensive $6 million rehabilitation of the existing city hall. "Without the police in this building, there are only 9 of us left," Speaker 6 told council, explaining how a reconfiguration could meet departmental space needs.

Several council members pushed back on the higher cost estimate and asked for clarity. Speaker 7 said they could not reconcile a $6 million price tag with the city's other capital needs and requested a second professional opinion. Speaker 3 and others said they favored moving forward with the architect's more modest option(s) if property acquisition and detailed cost checks supported it. The architect's list of required repairs included extensive electrical, HVAC, plumbing, ADA compliance upgrades and recurring sewage/stormwater issues in the lower-level locker rooms — items staff said drive the higher estimate.

Council did not adopt a preferred plan. Instead, staff said the council had previously asked that all three options be explored; council members directed staff and the Redevelopment Authority to continue exploring property-acquisition possibilities and refine cost estimates. Staff will return the issue to a future agenda with more complete cost comparisons and any geotechnical or site constraints identified.

Why it matters: The debate represents a trade-off between significant capital spending to rehabilitate an aging municipal asset and more modest, staged solutions that may leave some issues unresolved. The council emphasized the need for clarifying firm cost estimates and additional engineering data before making a final commitment.

What happens next: Staff will continue to explore the options, seek any necessary property-acquisition information from the Redevelopment Authority and place a revised proposal on a future council agenda for formal direction or action.