Consultants tell commissioners county building needs $3.5–$4.25 million in priority repairs

Consultants from BW Construction, DLZ and Amoresco told Delaware County commissioners on June 1 that the county building — constructed in 1969 with later renovations — has multiple life‑safety, accessibility and mechanical deficiencies that require near‑term attention and careful budgeting.

The team said priority‑one items address code compliance and safety hazards and estimated hard construction costs for that scope at roughly $3.5 million to $4.25 million. If the county tackled every item in the full assessment, consultants said the total could reach $12 million to $14 million.

"Priority one items really what we're focusing on today are code‑compliant life safety hazards, failed or damaged material systems or equipment," said Jay Troing of BW Construction as he summarized the assessment. The architects and engineers pointed to an exposed rebar‑damaged pedestrian bridge, deteriorated exterior sealants and windows, corroded rooftop supports, non‑ADA door hardware and toilet rooms past their life expectancy.

Scott Carnegie of DLZ highlighted interior life‑safety concerns. "There are locations where fire‑rated rooms are not properly fire‑stopped and doors and rails are not ADA compliant," Carnegie said. The team also noted encapsulated asbestos in limited locations and recommended a phase‑one environmental site assessment before major work begins.

On mechanical systems, Amoresco's Garren Evans said boilers and air‑handling equipment are well past typical service life: "Some of the equipment is original to the 1969 construction and needs replacement — the boilers have cracked heat exchangers and some air‑handling units are disintegrating." Consultants recommended replacing or upgrading boilers and air handlers as priority‑one or priority‑two work depending on final scope.

Electrical and fire‑safety items were flagged as well. Robert Willie of DLZ said many components are near end‑of‑life and that emergency lighting and exit signage need verification and likely replacement.

The consultants presented cost‑estimate buckets tied to the priority levels. "If you did everything in the full report it would be 12 to 14 million," a consultant said during the presentation; the priority‑one bucket alone was presented at about $3.5–$4.25 million.

Commissioners asked for additional diagnostic work before committing to a scope. Commissioner Bran said a piping corrosion test and a phase‑one environmental assessment should be performed to scope asbestos and plumbing replacement needs. "We need to know the extent to which we would need to mitigate or not mitigate any concerns," Bran said.

Commissioners also discussed funding constraints. The board recalled that a proposed cumulative capital development fund measure failed at a prior meeting and noted that some local revenue sources tied to local income tax changes will not be available in coming years. They asked staff to identify potential funding sources, prioritize the priority‑one list, and present options for phasing the work into the county budget.

Consultants said some priority‑two items should be coupled with priority‑one work where practical (for example, ductwork and ceiling replacement where mechanical work requires ceiling access). They estimated a rough schedule of eight months if all priority‑one work were done at once, or a year plus if phased by floor or area.

Next steps: commissioners directed staff to obtain a phase‑one environmental site assessment, commission piping corrosion testing, and return with a prioritized and costed plan that can be considered for inclusion in the next budget cycle. Consultants offered to provide local firms for testing and to meet individually with county staff to detail options.

Provenance: Presentation and Q&A (consultant team) beginning with the facility assessment presentation and cost summary (timeline SEG 372 through SEG 816).