Engineer: full restroom renovation would take six to eight months; ADA compliance raises scope and cost

Trent Benedict of Klingner told the Knox County Board that a full restroom renovation to bring fixtures and access into ADA compliance would likely take six to eight months to complete and that the 2017 estimate of roughly $1.6–$1.7 million has increased under current codes and scopes.

Benedict recommended building six‑stall bathrooms in the basement and converting 2nd‑ and 3rd‑floor fixtures to single‑occupancy units to meet accessibility requirements. He said the 2nd‑floor ramp is steep and may not meet wheelchair access needs without revision. Benedict told the board that a conservative budgeting figure for full renovations including plumbing and electrical could be about $2.5 million.

Board members asked whether staff could continue to use bathrooms during construction; Benedict said the work would start at the top floor and proceed downward and that the county could bring in a heated portable restroom in the parking lot during construction.