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Council reviews scaled-down Burns Building renovation for IT and fleet maintenance
Summary
Councilors heard a staff presentation on a pared-down design-build renovation of the Burns Building to house IT and fleet maintenance, trimming roughly $1 million from the prior construction estimate and leaving key mechanical items for further review.
Lancaster County budget staff presented a revised, scaled-down plan to renovate the Burns Building to house county IT and fleet maintenance, showing a revised construction estimate reduced by roughly $1 million from the original architect's concept. "So that totaled 2,100,000," a presenter said when summarizing the trimmed budget before contingency and equipment allowances.
Council members pressed staff on several line items they said might be recoverable. Members asked whether a backup generator exists (staff answered no) and urged staff to investigate the cost and right-sizing of a generator and HVAC zoning before deciding whether to leave plumbing, interior doors or other items out of the scope. "We need to investigate that so we know the cost on it," the chair said during discussion.
Nut graf: The revised estimate keeps core structural and geotechnical work and lowers architect fees, but staff said that critical systems—HVAC zoning, plumbing and an emergency generator—remain uncertain and may require additional contractor-level review before council approves any budget amendments. Staff recommended either accepting the presented worst-case numbers and proceeding with ordinance readings to amend the budget, or directing a further line-by-line contractor review of mechanical systems and plumbing.
Supporters of the revision said the design-build approach and reuse of many existing finishes would save money; several councilors said they favored keeping the pole barn in the project but wanted plumbing and HVAC lines double-checked. The presenter noted furniture, fixtures and equipment were re-estimated from $60,000 to $160,000 based on contractor feedback.
The council did not vote on final approval at the meeting; staff was asked to return with more detailed cost breaks and to investigate generator sizing so council can weigh whether to restore certain line items during the three-reading ordinance and budget amendment process.
