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BGS outlines $1.5M sewer repair for Bloomer building; project part of larger $8.9M renovation
Summary
Department of Buildings and General Services described plans to reconstruct a box culvert and replace a basement slab at the Bloomer building to stop basement flooding. Staff said $1.5 million is proposed for FY26 for sewer work; the building's total renovation is estimated at $8.9 million with $5 million identified in later years.
Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) staff told the Collections and Institutions Committee that the Bloomer building requires a substantial sewer repair to stop groundwater and combined-sewer inflow from flooding the basement.
Joe, a BGS presenter, said the work will involve removing and rebuilding a box culvert under the slab and rebuilding a substantial section of basement slab so sewer flows no longer enter the basement. He told the committee the work requires cutting a hole through the slab and staging heavy equipment inside the building footprint.
Committee members were told BGS plans to seek bids this spring, with construction targeted to begin in the fall and completion in fiscal year 2026. "Hopefully, yes. We have a construction manager who's now on board. We're completing the documents, and we'll be bidding that project out," Joe said. The committee was also told $1,500,000 is the FY26 request to address the sewer repair.
Presenters characterized the sewer repair as the most urgent item for the building; other work included roof and skylight replacement, which are part of the larger renovation scope. The total project cost for the Bloomer building was presented as $8.9 million; staff said $5 million of that figure is identified in out years and that not all of the $8.9 million has been appropriated yet.
Members pressed staff about whether the sewer work was anticipated in earlier plans; presenters said investigations revealed the extent of the problem only recently and that some sections of the pipe network remain difficult to access. BGS said the city has assisted with pumping to allow inspection but that the system remains challenging to fully trace.
No formal vote or motion was recorded; staff requested approval to proceed with design and bidding steps and to use the appropriately appropriated funds when available.
