Consultant: Mount Clemens City Hall needs major work; fire station aging but structurally sound

Chad Everts, a consultant with engineering firm Fishbeck, told the Mount Clemens City Commission that City Hall "is pretty tired" and detailed a list of structural and building‑systems deficiencies that would require major work to correct.

Everts said the main entrances have spalled concrete and exposed reinforcing that creates trip hazards, the single‑pane aluminum windows are thermally inefficient and fog — producing recurring mold concerns — and the roof and rooftop air handlers are worn and in need of replacement. "The concrete is a trip hazard," Everts said, summarizing visible safety issues around the Crocker Road entrance. He also warned that the building lacks a sprinkler system and contains multiple areas with asbestos‑containing materials, including 9‑by‑9 floor tiles and pipe insulation.

The consultant said interior accessibility is below current standards: many doors and restroom stalls are too narrow to meet modern ADA expectations, and the historic elevator is worn. He added that the sanitary plumbing shows evidence of breaks that have required saw cutting and piecemeal repairs. "The HVAC system...runs, but it doesn't keep up," Everts said, describing rooms that were hot and humid during the site visit.

Everts presented order‑of‑magnitude cost guidance tied to an engineer's estimate of needed repairs and replacements. He said the team’s rough figure for restoring City Hall was about $15,000,000. For the fire station — which he described as about 20 years newer and with sound structural "bones" — he catalogued problems including delaminating exterior panels, corroded window lintels and settling concrete creating trip hazards, and said a comparable scope could require substantial work.

Commissioners and staff asked about alternatives, including demolition and rebuilding. Everts said building new on a greenfield site can be cheaper in many cases but cautioned that land costs and relocation needs change the calculation. He cited a partner firm’s example that a new combined facility could be about $25,000,000, noted relocation of staff during renovation was estimated at roughly $400,000, and warned that asbestos abatement can be a major share of demolition costs. "Abatement's expensive," he said.

Why this matters: restoring or replacing the municipal buildings will directly affect the city’s capital budget, operating costs and accessibility for residents and employees. Commissioners asked staff to obtain the earlier 2014 study and to continue the discussion at a future meeting so the city can evaluate options and costs before committing to major work.

Next steps: commissioners did not vote on capital direction at the work session; staff and the consultant recommended further cost breakdowns, demolition estimates (including abatement), and potential relocation plans as follow‑up.