(Spirit Lake)– The Spirit Lake city council Tuesday reviewed a consultant’s report on options for city hall.
The study involved construction of a new facility on the current site or renovating the former Presbyterian Church at 605 Lake Street.
After learning it would likely cost just as much if not more to renovate the church building than it would for new construction, it didn’t take long for council members to reach a concensus as to which may be a better option.
And councilman Steve Balm tells KUOO news that while the clock is ticking on the existing city hall, that more time is needed to work out financial details and other issues, adding there may still be other options out there. For example, the council Tuesday directed the consultant to do a study on the Carnegie Building that adjoins the existing city hall to the north.
The consultant told the council Tuesday the existing city hall has surpassed it’s life expectancy, but that it could still be functional for a few years yet. But she advised against allowing city workers and the public into the basement and other areas of the building where moisture and mold are present.
Three different scenarios were presented to the council Tuesday. If built on the same site as existing city hall, the estimated cost for the first option housing city offices only is in the range of 1.1 to 1.3 million dollars. Another option that would include putting up a two-story building on the existing site that would also house the Police Department has an estimated price tag of 2.4 to 2.6 million dollars; a third option which combine city offices, the Police Department and Chamber of Commerce has an estimated cost of 2.4 to 2.9 million dollars. It was estimated that the cost of renovating the former church building would likely surpass that.
