Faced with a choice of spending $30.53 million to replace the Public Safety Building or a renovation estimated at $12.87 million, the city administration is recommending the less costly project for the 34-year-old, two-story wood building.
Even at the lower cost, the city does not have the money and will continue to look for funding.
The borough assembly met with the assessment team March 11 to discuss the building's problems and options. The engineers assessed the building last September to determine the overall condition of the structure and the potential cost of repair or replacement.
The Public Safety Building, opened in 1987, houses Wrangell's police department, fire department, courthouse, motor vehicle and driver's license registration and other services. The building has needed major renovations for years, and the assembly has questioned whether fully replacing the building would be more cost-effective.
"Considering these project alternatives, with our current and projected future financial environment, Wrangell is not able to consider the option to construct new," Borough Manager Lisa Von Bargen reported to the assembly in a memo for the meeting. "Administration's recommendation is to identify the renovations to the existing building as the selected alternative."
Amber Al-Haddad, the city's capital facilities director, reminded the assembly that the cost estimates were only for construction. There would be additional costs for relocating staff, services and equipment from the building while renovations are underway. Those costs, she said, are unknown at this time.
Dave Boggs, of AMC Engineers and the lead engineer of the assessment, reminded the assembly that the numbers were only estimates. Firm numbers would not come until further into the project, but he said he was confident the estimates were adequate.
Anchorage-based AMC Engineers said the building's siding has deteriorated through water infiltration at all levels, exterior windows and doors are aging beyond usefulness, the fire alarm system is faulty and mechanical systems in the building are nearing the end of their life expectancy, among other problems needing repairs.
One of the major topics of discussion was whether renovations should take place as a "phased single project" or a "phased multi project." A phased single project, according to the agenda packet, would involve a single contractor handling all the phases of the renovation at once. As a phased project, renovations would be divided among smaller contracts. This would allow for renovations to be completed in bits and pieces, as funding becomes available.
"Some sort of phasing is in our future," Al-Haddad said. "Single phase ... that's what the contractor's estimates are based on. The problem with pursuing a single phased project right now is our funding. If we are not able to secure the $12.8-plus million dollars that is estimated here, we'll be looking at a phased multi project, which means we will go forward and design the whole project and break it out to some degree."
As this was only a work session, no formal action was taken. The general consensus among the assembly was for the city to continue design and planning for renovations, and to continue research into costs and funding opportunities.
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