$89 million or $100 milllion

From the Daily Journal today:

Burlingame City Hall and the city's 57-year-old Recreation Center do not meet current seismic standards. The recreation center also does not meet current codes for sprinklers.

In a facilities master plan report draft to be discussed in a special study session Monday evening, City Hall shows moderate risk to life and the recreation center shows substantial risk to life. We need to look at the current codes. The buildings need more modifications to meet the current seismic codes,? said Public Works Director George Bagdon.

Those may be the biggest concerns with these two city buildings, but the report shows a host of issues ranging from overcrowding, poor layout, lack of parking, antiquated electrical systems and other structural deficiencies.

Fixing the problem, however, will not be easy nor cheap. The city is in the midst of a drafting a permanent master plan to determine what the community wants and is willing to pay for. Years in the works, the draft plan is now ready for public review and modification before any official steps are taken. We have a technical report and now people can react to it,? Bagdon said.

The report dives into issues with every city-owned building from the Police Station to its fire stations and even the Greyhound Depot currently being renovated to house a new Sam's Italian Sandwich Co. But it is the reconstruction or remodel of City Hall and the Recreation Center that is likely to draw the most attention.

The report outlines two potential options for the two buildings dubbed the pragmatic and the visionary scenarios. The $163 million pragmatic scenario would require $89 million in bond financing to construct a new Recreation Center likely on the corner of East Lane and Burlingame Avenue near Washington Park behind the Candy Store building. A new two-story City Hall wing would be constructed on the current site of the city's council chambers. The Park Department Corporation Yard would be relocated. There would also be other improvements to police and fire stations, the storm drainage system, the Aquatic Center and the Carriage House in Washington Park.

The $183 million visionary scenario is approximately the same with a few key differences. It would require $100 million in bond financing to construct a new civic center complex likely on the corner of East Lane and Burlingame Avenue with a combined City Hall and Recreation Center. The current City Hall site would be sold, Bagdon said.

The council study session on the citywide facilities improvements and a review of projects, financing and community process will take place 6 p.m. Monday April 4 in the Lane Room of the Burlingame Main Library, 480 Primrose Road.

$89 million or $100 million bond financing? Lets go find out on Monday ...

- Written by Fiona