Politics & Government

City Hall Retrofit Costs Balloon by $829K

Unforeseen costs blow initial 2009 budget of $3.8 million.

Retrofitting City Hall to withstand earthquakes will have cost at least $4.66 million when completed early next year, or about $829,000 more than initially projected, according to new city estimates.

The City Council is being asked to approve Tuesday a $150,000 change-order, its fifth since the construction began two years ago in March

The additional costs have soared beyond the 10 percent contingency considered standard on new construction projects, according to a report from Senior Architect Alex Parry. 

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As Parry explained in the report, the costs piled up because:

Throughout the course of construction, the project has encountered... areas where the original construction deviates from plans or past remodels have either added or removed elements and finished surfaces from the original construction.

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To remedy similar conditions likely to occur in the remaining scope of work for the project ($750,000)... staff recommends a 20% contingency amount ($150,000)

The contractor, West Valley Investment Group, Inc., is currently 80 percent complete with the retrofits and plans to complete the project in February 2013, according to Parry.

See also: Ooh la la! City Hall Strips Down

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