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City staff: Sammons closed, Summit needs extensive repairs; short‑term repair estimate about $750,000
Summary
City staff told the Dec. 18 council workshop that structural assessments found significant damage at the 1921 Sammons Community Center and the Summit Recreation Center; consultants recommended continued closure and large repairs, with an initial Summit repair estimate of about $750,000 and further options to be returned after additional study.
City staff provided a detailed update on Dec. 18 about two long‑used community facilities that have been closed or partially closed for safety reasons.
Belinda, a city staff member who led the presentation on the Sammons Community Center, said an on‑site structural assessment by forensic engineers WJE on March 17 concluded the building should remain closed until repairs were made; WJE’s final report was received May 13, 2025. The assessment found multiple structural concerns in the roof framing and original brick façade and recommended removing and replacing the south‑side roof structure and addressing poorly connected additions that are overloading the roof assembly.
Belinda said Garcia Architects later completed a feasibility study (received Sept. 29) that largely confirmed WJE’s conclusions and provided opinions of probable cost for repair versus rebuild. Staff also reported a collapsed clay‑tile sewer line beneath part of the Sammons structure that would need excavation and replacement as part of any renovation, adding to the project’s complexity.
On Summit Recreation Center, staff reported widespread corrosion in metal studs and structural columns and described cracked concrete around post‑tension anchors. WJE’s analysis showed some columns at high percentages of capacity; staff said WJE recommended priority repairs to be completed within a year to continue safe use and identified work that would require removing interior finishes (locker rooms, hot tubs, saunas) to access columns and anchors.
Staff estimated that short‑term repairs at Summit, based on openings and scope, have risen from prior projections and are now thought to be in the neighborhood of $750,000. The presentation included a tentative schedule: finish design by February, price and award a job order contract (Clark Roofing was named) in March, and complete construction over the summer with a target to finish by August. Council members noted funding constraints—bond funds typically can be used for repair but not full replacement—and discussed three high‑level options: repair, rebuild, or demolish and close permanently.
Why it matters: Both facilities provide programming and social services to older adults and other residents; the closure of Sammons and the limited capacity at Summit affect those services and the city’s budget and capital‑planning options.
What the city will do next: Staff said they will return after the first of the year with more refined options, costs and recommended funding approaches. Council directed staff to continue evaluating feasible repair scenarios and funding paths and to involve additional trusted community technical reviewers in the near term.
Limitations: The workshop recorded analysis, cost opinions and targets for procurement and construction but did not include final contract awards or formal budget approvals; those steps will require future council action.
