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Council hears Old Town Hall update: $3.9 million phase‑2 budget, HUD grant, bids due July 2
Summary
Staff presented an update on the Old Town Hall rehabilitation project, including a $2.1 million HUD community project funding grant, $1.8 million in city general funds (total $3.9M for Phase 2), bids due July 2, and a target occupancy date in mid‑2026. Council discussed paint color, accessibility work, and prior phase expenditures.
City project staff presented a detailed work session update on the Old Town Hall rehabilitation during the June 24 work session.
Andrew Wilson (construction manager) and Saeed Masur (Public Works project manager) outlined the scope of Phase 2: historic exterior and interior repairs, mechanical/electrical/plumbing upgrades, enclosure of rear porches for storage and a new exterior‑access restroom, relocation and replacement of rooftop HVAC units to reduce visibility, and accessibility improvements (front ramp and grade‑level access). Wilson noted the project required coordination with the Board of Architectural Review and a review by the Virginia Department of Historic Resources because federal funding is involved.
Masur summarized project funding and schedule: the project has a $2,100,000 Department of Housing and Urban Development community project funding grant plus $1,800,000 in city general funds for Phase 2, for a total Phase 2 budget of $3,900,000. Bids were due July 2; staff advised that contract award will follow verification of responsive, responsible bidders and reference checks. The team projected project completion and occupancy in mid‑2026 (June/July 2026).
Council members asked about design choices and costs to date. Staff said Phase 1 (emergency column/porch repair) cost about $800,000; Phase 2 design and study costs to date total roughly $500,000 (environmental assessments, hazardous‑materials testing, historic paint analyses and architect fees). Staff said the $3.9 million figure covers Phase 2 construction and remaining work assuming bids come in as expected; if bids exceed budget the item would be brought back as a public hearing item rather than placed on the consent agenda.
Council also discussed exterior paint selection (the Board of Architectural Review recommended a period‑appropriate “cottage cream” over a deeper historic hue), the tradeoffs for marketing the building as an event venue, and the project's accessibility and maintenance implications.
What’s next: Staff will return with bid results after July 2 and, if award is within budget, will present a contract award to council (staff indicated preference to place it on the consent agenda unless the bids exceed budget).
