Community Development Committee seeks brick samples, flags mold testing for 215 Main St City Hall Annex

The Pella City Community Development Committee on March 11 reviewed exterior design options for 215 Main St, the former Pella Daycare that the Community Betterment Organization gifted to the city and which is slated to become a City Hall Annex. Planning staff said interior demolition revealed water damage in the dormers and interior walls that prompted further destructive testing and mold testing, and said additional exterior brick removal may be required depending on results.

The committee reviewed images and preliminary elevations and discussed replacement options, including using a wood-look siding that already appears on the dormers, and whether to retain portions of the original brick. Committee members narrowed down color options and asked staff to provide five brick samples for review. "We would like to view the brick samples in the sunlight by the building as the sun starts to set on the west side of the building," Allissa Grandia requested.

Planning and Zoning Director Gerald Buydos invited committee members to visit the site to see existing conditions and samples in person. Staff said the project timeline will depend on mold-testing results and that brick costs are a factor in choosing materials and scopes of exterior repair.

The committee discussed whether to match existing brickwork and consider complementary brick colors or different brickwork styles and asked staff to coordinate with the project architect to bring physical samples to a future meeting. No formal design decision was made; the request for on-site brick samples and continued testing were the main outcomes.

Next steps identified by staff included coordinating destructive/mold testing results with design options and arranging a site visit and physical samples for the committee before finalizing exterior materials.