Museum plan OK'd
By Ty Johnson
Published in News on November 8, 2012 1:46 PM
In its final session before meeting with consultants, the Air Force Museum Citizen Committee approved Verner Johnson's executive summary of its plans for the Air Power Museum at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.
There was little discussion at Wednesday's meeting outside of a few typographical edits and layout suggestions.
Members read silently throughout much of the meeting, occasionally pointing out inconsistencies or spelling errors, but largely approving of the 12-page document the consultant plans to present to the Goldsboro City Council at its Nov. 19 work session.
The executive summary differed from earlier presentations of the consultant's work a bit, as about $75,000 was trimmed from the museum's originally projected $700,000 annual operating budget.
Assistant City Manager Tasha Logan said the reduction was realized through cross-referencing the consultant's employment projections with the city's pay scale schedule.
Unchanged were the construction and exhibit estimates, which together are expected to cost just more than $6 million.
The only substantial change committee members asked for was to include a range of cost estimates prepared by a local contractor for asbestos abatement. That range, Ms. Logan said, is between $90,000 and $200,000.
Estimates obtained from the city Inspections Department show an estimate of $250,000. Combined with roof repairs and replacement, repairs to the building's facia and the preparation of the bid for the roof, the cost of fixing the building would be $405,500.
The estimates also showed that to demolish the building, along with performing the required asbestos abatement, would cost $310,000, leaving the city with a vacant lot at the corner of Spence Avenue and Ash Street.
The public will have several opportunities to view the consultant's plans for the building this month, as concept boards showing renderings and statistics of the proposed museum will be on display across the city, beginning Monday.
Ms. Logan said there will be static presentations of the consultant team's suggestions set up at City Hall, Berkeley Mall and on the city's website. Two additional locations, at the Goldsboro branch of the Wayne County Public Library and the library at Seymour Johnson, may be set up as well, she said.
The boards feature site maps, building elevations and renderings, although Lou Sirianni of Verner Johnson said via teleconference that the renderings won't be in color due to timing restraints.
The color renderings will be presented Nov. 19 and will be available for review at the committee's Nov. 20 community meeting at 10 a.m. in the City Hall Annex.