Stafford Center sustains interior water damage during freeze; repairs, insurance claim under review

The Stafford Center experienced interior water damage after an evaporator coil cracked during a recent freeze, an operations report to the Stafford Economic Development Corporation said on Jan. 28.

FM Squared, the center’s manager, and city staff said quick action by onsite employees and the operations manager limited damage. Staff described a failed “freestat” that did not operate as expected during cold conditions and a cracked evaporator coil behind the air‑handling units. Water entered the accounting office and a chair storage room; staff said the chair storage area held festival chairs that can be remediated.

The mechanical contractor is preparing a repair estimate. The engineer/operations report listed the evaporator coil replacement as a substantial item — the coil described in the presentation is five feet by eight feet and likely will require crane work and louver removal; the presenter estimated that replacement of that coil and associated access work could cost in the range of $40,000–$45,000. The report also listed damaged furniture and a specialized accounting printer with a replacement estimate of roughly $5,000.

Staff said they will pursue a claim with the city’s insurance provider (TML) and noted the city’s deductible practices: past experience indicates a citywide incident deductible around $1,000. Staff said they will continue damage assessment and submit documentation to insurance; they reported that the event did not interrupt bookings for the center because the affected air handler does not disable the entire HVAC system. No board action was required.