We touched on the move to replace our City Hall four months ago here and since then more details have been released on the state of the building. Here are some of the key points from a presentation to the city council on Sept. 3rd.:
- City Hall was built to the seismic standards of the time (1969) - Estimate is $10M
- Mechanicals are beyond their useful life and parts availability is challenging (related asbestos issues estimated at $600K)
- ADA accessibility is an issue
- No fire sprinklers and inadequate fire alarm system
- Lighting and electrical upgrades to current standards - estimated at $1.5M
- The original roof is still on and being patched - replacement estimate $500K plus asbestos work
All of that is compounded by an estimated 20% growth in the space needed plus some better meeting room space although this could be handled by a satellite, leased office. The five-year total is $16M and grows to $35M over the next decade. The idea square footage would be between 6,000 and 14,000 ft2 larger than the current space.
Should the city choose to do the repairs and upgrades, it estimates about three years of temporary employee relocation. That sounds like an optimistic guess to me looking at how long everything takes. The real challenge is how to pay for either approach (fix vs. lease vs. build). The current central location is excellent which is an intangible that is hard to value--and harder to replace. There's no easy answer here even if one has a fix-it mindset.
Whatever the City decides to do they should not give up that location. They will NEVER get it back.
San Mateo once had their city hall in their downtown and there was some talk of bringing it back to downtown. Trying to get that space back now is impossible.
Posted by: Joanne | September 26, 2024 at 09:24 PM
Stay put.
Fix it.
More meeting space? Walk across the street to the library’s Lane Room.
Posted by: Cassandra | September 27, 2024 at 07:22 AM
Did we get several estimates on removing asbestos I wonder. That number seems very high based on the sq footage.
They say:
The average cost to remove asbestos from commercial buildings typically ranges from $5 to $20 per square foot, depending on several factors. These factors include:
Extent of contamination:
Larger buildings or those with more widespread asbestos may cost more to clean up.
Location of asbestos:
Asbestos in hard-to-reach areas, such as pipes or ceilings, may increase costs.
Local regulations: Some areas have stricter regulations for asbestos removal, which can drive up costs.
Disposal fees: The cost of safely disposing of asbestos can vary based on location and waste management fees.
On average, a complete asbestos abatement project for a commercial building can cost anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000 or more, depending on the size of the building and the extent of the asbestos contamination.
For larger buildings or complex projects, costs can rise significantly. It’s recommended to get several quotes from licensed professionals for a more accurate estimate.
Posted by: Timothy Hooker | October 02, 2024 at 03:39 PM