$3 million bill added to City Hall project
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on October 3, 2006 1:54 PM
While officials at City Hall attempt to find an affordable plan for both the Paramount Theater and Community Building, another "key project" just got a bit more expensive.
Assistant City Manager Tasha Logan gave Goldsboro City Council members an update Monday on renovation and restoration efforts inside the original City Hall -- a project she said might now reach $3 million.
The increased price tag is a result of necessary modifications to the plan, Ms. Logan said.
The modified plan will include a chairlift next to the stairs in the back of the building and an elevator, both inserted to make the facility more accessible to handicapped residents.
Council member Chuck Allen said before the plans were modified, handicapped residents would have had to enter the new City Hall and cross a bridge to get to council chambers.
"We don't need to do this thing halfway," he said. "When it comes to handicapped accessibility, we need to set the standard. I don't want my mother and father, or your mother and father, to have to go all the way around here to get there."
Council members also discussed a potential purchase of a metal detector outside the chambers.
"Do we need metal detectors in there?" Allen asked. "I think it's coming to that. Maybe not today, but five years from now, we might need them."
Mayor Al King agreed.
"I think we need them," he said.
Ms. Logan said she would take the council's recommendations back to Hobbs Architects, P.A.
Their original estimate of roughly $2.5 million for completion of the project did not include the smoke detectors, metal detectors, chairlift or elevator.
"With all the numbers we have right now, it looks like we're talking about $2.5 million," Ms. Logan said, adding restoration of the statues Liberty and Justice and cost of acoustics are still unknown also.
"Just ask for $3 million," Allen told her. "We know we're not going to spend more than that."
Ms. Logan is expected to return to the council's next meeting with a plan for the members' approval.