Architects present three City Hall options; estimate 60,000+ square feet need and $30M–$37M price range

John Wallenkamp of Cooney Architects presented an updated space-needs assessment to the Oshkosh Common Council and outlined three primary options to address City Hall needs: (1) remodel the existing City Hall footprint and add a modest addition, (2) purchase and adapt part of CityCenter, or (3) build a new four‑story facility on an approximately 17‑acre site.

Wallenkamp said the study assessed each department’s current and projected workspace requirements and produced a recommended program of roughly 60,000 square feet for city operations plus a separate 15,000 square feet for Oshkosh Media and the maintenance/archive functions. He said the current usable building area is about 46,000 square feet; the program gained space by tightening circulation and repurposing existing footprint.

Cost estimates on the three options range from about $30 million to $37 million in 2027 dollars, Wallenkamp said. The presentation included allowances for design and construction contingencies and an inflation factor to 2027. He told council the option to remodel would involve stripping the building to its concrete structure and replacing windows, mechanical and electrical systems rather than patch repairs; he said that approach makes remodel and new construction “apples to apples” for comparison.

Option 1 (remodel) would avoid new land purchase and would keep the City Hall site in public hands; the plan presented reduces circulation by about 55% and adds a roughly 2,700‑square‑foot addition on the first floor. Option 2 (CityCenter) assumes acquiring a portion of CityCenter and modifying it (including adding light wells) and would require 200 additional parking stalls; the cost model excludes unused CityCenter space unless the city chooses to buy it. Option 3 (new site) assumes purchasing a roughly 17‑acre parcel, building a four‑story building with 200 parking stalls and selling the existing City Hall; that option also assumes land purchase and sale proceeds in the cost model.

Council members asked questions about long-term flexibility, accessibility, parking, how the cost estimates were developed and the viability of a 17‑acre site. Council member Nichols summarized the program numbers, confirming the study’s representation of 60,000 square feet for city operations and 15,000 for Oshkosh Media. Wallenkamp said the team used municipal standards, department interviews and historical cost data and applied a 6% inflation factor to reach 2027 project estimates; he told council his firm’s historical estimate accuracy is above 90% for comparable projects.

Council members expressed differing views: some favored remaining on the current site with extensive upgrades, while others said CityCenter presents “a blank canvas” and better long-term positioning downtown. Wallenkamp and staff said public engagement and further vetting of departmental adjacencies will continue; a draft facility plan and schedule were discussed for follow-up in April–May.

No formal action was taken; council members asked staff and the architects to return with additional detail, public engagement plans and budget timing suggestions.