Seaford — The Seaford Mayor and Council voted unanimously Sept. 9 to approve construction of a new Parks & Recreation office building and the demolition of the existing facility, following a recommendation from the Parks and Recreation Committee.

City staff told the council the current Parks and Recreation building, built in the early 1980s and turned over to the city in 1991, has recurring water intrusion, aging HVAC and electrical systems and extensive deferred maintenance. The committee presented four options: rent temporary space, retrofit the concession stand at Jay’s Nest, renovate the existing building, or build a new 50-by-50-foot facility on adjacent parking area. The committee and staff recommended the new-construction option as the best long-term solution.

"I think overwhelmingly the committee felt that option 4 was the best," City Manager Anderson said at the meeting, summarizing the committee’s recommendation. Council members discussed construction costs and the need to put the work out to bid; staff said a formal bid package would return to council for final approval.

Councilwoman McGrath moved to approve the committee’s recommendation to build a new office building and demolish the current Parks and Recreation office; Councilman McQuillan seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

Staff provided cost estimates for the four options: the staff summary presented figures including an estimated $245,000 to renovate the existing facility and roughly $296,000 for new construction (staff noted some line items such as electrical/IT were ‘‘unknown’’ and that demolition was estimated at about $15,000). Staff also said the budget for FY26 included $500,000 for this project and that staff expected to come in under that figure even allowing for presently unspecified costs.

The council and staff noted a potential risk: the existing building’s foundation and structural condition have not yet been evaluated and could increase renovation costs if the council had chosen that route. Staff said the project will be bid and returned to council for contract award and final budget authorization. Staff also flagged that some site work (asphalt removal, dumpster enclosure relocation and utility connections) will be required.

Council members and staff emphasized continuity of operations during construction: building the new office on the adjacent parking area would allow Parks staff to remain in place until the new building is complete. Staff said temporary restroom facilities and an administrative trailer were considered for renovation scenarios but would not be needed for the new-construction option.

The council’s vote authorizes staff to proceed with design and bid preparation for the new building; final contract award and any budget amendments will return for council approval.

The decision follows Parks and Recreation Committee discussion Aug. 21 and reflects staff and committee preference for a longer-term, single-site solution over interim rentals or split locations.