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Sandusky staff: rec center design underway, $10.38 million allowance approved; full kitchen not included
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Summary
City staff told the Sandusky boards that Jananna Herner has been contracted as the rec center design-builder and the project allowance is $10,383,206 to build an approximately 40,000-square-foot facility; staff said a full commercial kitchen did not fit the current budget and alternative partnerships will be explored.
Speaker 10, identified in the transcript as the staff presenter, told the Sandusky Boards & Commissions that the city has contracted a design-builder and is finalizing site and floor plans for the new recreation center ahead of the Jan. 28 planning commission meeting.
"The allowance for the rec center was awarded ... It's $10,383,206," Speaker 10 said, adding that the figure is intended to fund construction of an approximately 40,000-square-foot facility with a walking track, two full basketball courts, three activity rooms for after-school programs and a fitness center.
Board members asked about including a commercial kitchen in the facility to support programs such as Midtown Supper Club. Speaker 8 and Speaker 5 urged the board to consider culinary space; Speaker 10 responded that a full kitchen is a "big ticket item" and "economically didn't make sense" within the current allowance. Staff suggested alternatives including partnerships with nearby commercial kitchens and collaboration with local schools to prepare meals.
Speaker 10 also described programmatic elements still under design, including a water feature or splash pad. The design-builder must have site and floor plans ready for the planning commission on Jan. 28, setting a tight timeline for finalizing elements that could affect cost and amenities.
Next steps: staff will continue to refine the site plan with the contracted design-builder (Jananna Herner) and provide cost estimates for optional features such as a kitchen so the board can decide whether to seek additional funding or pursue partnerships.
