The Charleston City Council Finance Committee passed a resolution to authorize a handful of changes to the Civic Center Expansion and Renovation project, adding roughly $700,000 to its $87 million price tag.
City Manager David Molgaard outlined the details of the resolution, which also passed in City Council Monday night.
The bulk of the additional funds serve a decorative purpose; about $425,000 will go toward mirroring the ceiling material of the center's interior signature entrance areas with that of the overhanging roof outside the entrances. The current contract with BBL Carlton, LLC, Molgaard said, "calls for gypsum board or some type of acoustic ceiling tiles on the interior."
Instead, the main reception area of the upgraded Civic Center will have the same metal paneling as the under side of the overhanging roof, he said, which will be visible from inside and outside due to the glass walls at the Clendenin Street entrance and facing the Elk River.
"The material in the base contract was functional, but it's not the aesthetic continuity we were hoping for," Molgaard said.
Another $380,000 will be used to upgrade the ramp beneath the Civic Center's Quarrier Street parking garage to accommodate larger delivery trucks that wouldn't otherwise be able to access the back end of the building.
Finance Chairman Bobby Reishman also introduced a bill in Council that seeks to approve the Porters Hollow Sanitary Sewer and Replacement Project.
Sanitary Board Director Larry Roller said the board initially had hoped to receive funding from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, but said that's "probably not available."
Roller said the board will likely seek bonds from the city to help finance the $18 million project, which would replace the existing sewers in areas of Spring Branch, Porter's Branch, Anderson Heights, Callie Road and Bendview Drive on Charleston's South Side.
The Sanitary Board is not proposing a rate increase for the project.
Finance Committee will address the bill at its next meeting on Feb. 16.
Also on Monday, Council voted to:
n Enter into an agreement with Finley Fire Equipment to purchase an aerial ladder truck for $788,000 for the Charleston Fire Department.
n Approve purchase of a refuse packer truck from the West Virginia Tractor Company for $125,000.
n Approve the purchase of four dump trucks from Heritage International for about $478,000, to be used by the street department.
n Approve the purchase of a utility body truck for $67,000 to be used by the street department.
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.