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Liberty Hill EDC moves to seek council approval to demolish building tied to Project Redo
Summary
Staff told the EDC that contractor re-inspections revealed extensive mold and stormwater damage and recommended full demolition; the board agreed to send a demolition recommendation and contingency proposal to city council and to notify adjacent property owners.
Mimi of the Headwater team told the Liberty Hill Economic Development Corporation on Dec. 17 that contractor re-walks of the Project Redo building showed a scope of damage—mold, stormwater infiltration and drainage failures—large enough that a full demolition is now recommended rather than limited interior remediation.
"The scope does include that," Mimi said when describing mold-remediation protocols and confirmed those protocols would be performed if the board authorizes demolition. She said contractors provided all-inclusive quotes to tear the building down and that salvaging select fixtures (restroom partitions, kitchen equipment) could still be included before demolition.
Staff identified Absolute, a local contractor, as the lowest all-inclusive proposer and described the anticipated timeline and steps: utilities would be disconnected, meters pulled, plumbing and electrical work capped, 10 days for demolition under Absolute's proposal, followed by site cleanup and slab removal as needed. Mimi said the recommended next step, if the board concurs, is to finalize the scope with the selected contractor, prepare a contract with exhibits and present the recommendation to city council for approval.
Board members pressed staff on unknown subgrade conditions beneath the slab, potential hidden costs and environmental-clearance history. One board member recalled that the board had previously discussed a $100,000 contingency; staff noted current quotes appeared lower (an example quote of $31,700 was in the materials) but recommended keeping a contingency to cover unanticipated subgrade or remediation work.
Staff reported that earlier Phase I environmental reports and asbestos surveys were on record from before the property purchase and said they would confirm and provide those documents to the board and council. The board asked staff to ensure bidders clarify whether their scopes include footings and subgrade work and to hold some contingency funds for unknown conditions.
Board members also asked staff to give adjacent property owners advance notice before heavy equipment arrives and to retain as much public parking as possible during the demolition. The board indicated consensus to proceed with demolition planning and to take the matter to city council for formal authorization; council approval will be required before EDC funds are disbursed or contracts executed.
