Study estimates higher cost for Grandview Heights municipal complex
A fit and feasibility study for the municipal complex the city of Grandview Heights is planning confirmed the southeast corner of Goodale Boulevard and Grandview Avenue would be a suitable location.
But the estimated cost of constructing a new building to house the fire station, police department, administrative offices and council chambers likely would be about 30% higher than originally estimated, said P’Elizabeth Koelker, director of planning and community development.
Koelker reviewed the results of the study conducted by a team led by Erdy McHenry Architects at the March 7 meeting of City Council’s recreation, services and public facilities committee. The meeting, which was held before the regular council meeting, was attended by all seven council members.
“We don’t have all the answers yet. That’s why we’re starting the public process – to pursue what the rest of this (project) is going to look like,” committee chairman Anthony Panzera said. “We have reached a point internally where there’s enough momentum and enough of a knowledge base started that we can present (the study’s findings.)”
It’s expected to be at least two years before construction begins, he said.
The study indicates a 41,300-square-foot building would be needed to provide sufficient space for a fire station, police department, administrative offices and council chambers as well as 95 parking spaces, Koelker said.
The municipal building at 1016 Grandview Ave. is about 17,000 square feet and has approximately 75 parking spaces, she said.
The estimated construction cost for the new building is in the range of $575 to $650 per square foot with an additional 25% in soft costs, including architecture and engineering fees, tap fees for more water and sewer service, permit fees, furniture and other contingencies, Koelker said.
The soft costs would boost the cost to an estimated $29.8 million to $34.3 million, she said.
The original estimate was $23.8 million to $27.3 million, Koelker said.
“Thirty percent is a huge number,” but it reflects the increase in construction costs that have occurred over the past year or so, she said.
The city invited an owner’s representative to take a second look at the line items included in the estimated budget for the building project and the “firm’s independently reached estimate was within 1.5% of the original projections,” Koelker said.
“(That) shows you the materials they were looking at was very thorough and very precise and that we can have confidence in that information at this point,” she said.
“It’s still early (in the process) and these are studies we just got and will be digesting and understanding better.”
The Grandview Center sits at the corner of Goodale and Grandview and the city is planning to expand and improve the shelter at McKinley Field, the park west of the project site, Koelker said. That improvement project likely will begin this summer.
Once completed, the expanded shelter would house parks and recreation activities held at the Grandview Center, which would be demolished along with the former service/building and zoning building at the site to accommodate the construction of the new municipal complex, Koelker said.
Once the new municipal building is completed, the previous building would be returned to being part of Wyman Woods park, which was its original use before the city decided to operate its own fire department and built the original fire station in 1924. The fire station was later expanded and the other municipal uses were added to the site, Koelker said.
The also city expects to begin a process to update its parks master plan early next year, she said.
The project to build a new municipal complex “has been a long time coming,” Mayor Greta Kearns said. “The building at the top of the hill has not seen any significant improvements for about 60 years.
“It’s really from another era and a lot has happened during that time that certainly impacts public safety, how we communicate, how we operate and how we do everything that impacts our delivery of services.”
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