City outlines $7.5 million repairs to downtown municipal building; work to keep fire and police operations onsite

Walter Ear, director of Capital and Asset Management, told the Council the downtown municipal building has structural irregularities in the apparatus bay that require replacement of suspended slabs and several structural members.

Ear said the project is estimated at about $7.5 million from the general capital fund and that construction is expected to take roughly 18 months. Staff emphasized the repairs are required whether the space continues to be used as a fire station or is converted to another use; the material difference in cost would be slab thickness, which staff estimated might save roughly $250,000 if the space were not designed for heavy apparatus.

During construction, Ear said firefighters will continue to live on-site in modified living quarters and that the apparatus bay that exits to Eagle Street can remain operational to maintain response times. He identified Bloom Construction as the company that will bring the project forward for contract approval and said council will see a contract request in about a month. Staff also noted that some internal city functions (forensics, fitness) will be temporarily relocated during construction.

Council members asked whether a proposed performing-arts project would change the scope; staff replied that the structural repairs are required regardless of long-term use, and that the only substantive savings from a non-fire use would be a thinner slab and an estimated $250,000 reduction in that component of cost.

No contract award or final appropriation was voted at the May 26 meeting; staff said they will bring contract documents to council for approval when ready.