Sunday, August 22, 2010

This past week, the Key West City Commission debated the location of a new City Hall. To quote Yogi Berra, it's déjà vu all over again.

Last year, after seemingly endless debate, the commission couldn't agree on a better alternative spot, so the current Angela Street location became the default site for City Hall. Either the existing building would be renovated or a new one would be built.

Subsequently, it was determined the existing City Hall had reached the end of its effective life and should be demolished. Plans were approved to transfer employees to temporary offices and to proceed with a new complex -- including 26,000 square feet of office space, an elevated garage with 120 parking spaces, and a fire station with three fire engine bays. Construction was contemplated at an estimated $18 million, with completion sometime in late 2011.

The cost deservedly drew criticism from residents, who also questioned the size and scale of the planned building. Newly elected Mayor Craig Cates campaigned against the $18 million City Hall. As a cost-saving measure, he wanted to see the city acquire and renovate the Glynn Archer Elementary School building -- one of the locations previously considered.

While we commend Mayor Cates for attempting to save taxpayers money, the devil has subsequently shown itself in the details.

Commissioner Teri Johnston -- co-owner of a company specializing in the design and construction of homes, renovations and historical restorations -- is appropriately challenging the financial wisdom of renovating Glynn Archer versus building anew on Angela.

The engineering, architectural reports and estimated costs for renovating Glynn Archer point to an architectural and financial challenge. Because it's a designated historic structure riddled with asbestos and lead paint, and structurally not adequate to meet city requirements such as energy efficiency and a 170 mph wind load, the recommended solution is to build a new building within the old building at a cost of $13.2 million.

This brings the total estimated cost -- including the new fire station and parking facility on Angela -- to $21 million versus $18 million. And that doesn't include the acquisition cost of Glynn Archer. Mayor Cates suggests trading the school for a 1.55-acre parcel of city land on Trumbo Road appraised at $4 million.

Unless our calculator just went haywire, that means the Glynn Archer plan could cost at least $25 million -- $7 million more than the $18 million that Cates campaigned against.

Undaunted, Cates recommended placing a referendum on the November ballot asking voters whether the city should acquire Glynn Archer for City Hall. The commission voted 5-2 in favor, with Johnston and Mark Rossi dissenting.

Commissioner Rossi echoed Johnston's position regarding hidden costs of historic renovations.

Johnston, whose district includes Glynn Archer, emphasized that she wants voters to know the cost associated with the referendum. She also voiced her opposition to increased traffic in the surrounding residential neighborhood the relocation of City Hall would create.

Well, we're scratching our heads on this one. Is the mayor, along with the balance of the commission, asking voters to authorize spending $25 million versus $18 million on a new City Hall?

Is this more about attempting to restore a historic building than streamlining the cost of city government?

Why doesn't the commission make its own history?

Why not build a new, but scaled back, City Hall on Angela that architecturally complements the character of Old Town -- not the currently envisioned Taj Mahal that requires multiple variances to city building code?

Why not build it with state-of-the-art energy efficiency, including the latest technologies that increase staff productivity, a resident-friendly service environment and the fire station and parking? And, finally, why not significantly shave down that $18 million building budget and complete it on schedule?

Now that would be historic.

-- The Citizen