Consultants say City Hall, fire station need major repairs; preliminary cost estimates top $22 million

Consultants from Fishbeck presented a building condition assessment to the Mount Clemens City Commission during the work session, reporting widespread deterioration at City Hall and several maintenance and safety deficiencies at the fire station.

Chad Everts of Fishbeck, introduced by city staff, said the City Hall exterior shows spalled concrete with exposed, rusting reinforcing that creates trip hazards and that many storefront doors and windows are single‑pane and thermally inefficient. "The roof is is wore out. It's ready to be replaced," Everts said, describing recent patching and clogged roof drains that allow ponding and vegetation to grow. Inside, Everts said the HVAC system is failing to maintain set points, causing high humidity, and that bathrooms and many doorways do not meet today’s ADA standards. He also reported visible 9‑by‑9 floor tiles and pipe insulation that suggest asbestos is present and will require abatement in many areas.

The consultant described similar, though generally newer, issues at the fire station: corroded lintels above windows, delaminating panels with visible holes, settling concrete that creates a roughly 1¼‑ to 1½‑inch trip hazard at exterior slabs, and inadequate second‑floor access because the station lacks an elevator. Everts noted mechanical and electrical systems are aging there as well, while the building’s generator appeared newer and in good condition.

Using brief on‑site estimates and an engineer’s order‑of‑magnitude pricing, Fishbeck presented costs of approximately $15,000,000 to rehabilitate City Hall and roughly $7,800,000 for the fire station. Everts emphasized these are conceptual, high‑level estimates based on a short visit: "These numbers are a lot like those hurricane trackers you see on TV where it's like, this is the price we give you. It could go this way or this way, but this is a good guess," he said.

Commissioners asked whether full window replacement and new mechanical systems were assumed in the renovation estimates; Everts confirmed that new windows, a new roof, a full HVAC replacement, upgraded electrical, and a fire‑protection (sprinkler) system would be required in a comprehensive rehabilitation. The consultants also said asbestos abatement can be a major component of cost, and that in previous local projects abatement nearly equaled demolition cost. Examples discussed during the session included a cited demolition cost of about $1,000,000 for the Wilson Gym and about $2,500,000 for a water plant demolition that included salvage credit.

Commissioners explored the possibility of demolishing and rebuilding on the existing site or elsewhere. The consultants said building new on a greenfield site can sometimes be less expensive than extensive renovation if land is available, but land acquisition and relocation costs are additional considerations. Fishbeck provided an estimated relocation cost of about $400,000 to temporarily house staff during renovations of both buildings.

No formal decisions were taken at the work session. Commissioners thanked the consultants for the report, acknowledged the large fiscal scope of potential projects, and asked staff to return with additional information, including demolition cost breakdowns and more detailed estimates to inform a budgetary decision.

Next steps: commissioners requested follow‑up cost breakdowns and options (repair, retrofit, demolition/new build) to be presented at a future meeting.