BY PHIL CUSTODIO
Clarkston News Editor
When city officials present the final construction costs for the proposed city hall renovation and construction project next week, it won’t include a cupola or clock tower.
“The HDC did not like it,” said City Manager Jonathan Smith at the March 11 City Council meeting. “They felt it was fake history. They didn’t feel it was needed on this building.”
The Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of the site plan with changes, including elimination of 22 feet from the southeastern side of the parking lot; add a door to the eastern wall of the proposed shed; extend the entry sidewalk to tie into the Depot Park walking trail; and add a sidewalk at the northern edge of the parking lot to tie into the Depot Road parking lot.
Removal of parking lot space was to pay for a 12-13 foot retaining wall on the southeast corner of the lot.
The plan, created by Jerry Carter of Total Environmental Designs, city engineer Hubble, Roth & Clark, and builder Sam Moraco, includes a two-way driveway leading to a new parking lot to the south of the building. It would be a gravel lot, which could be paved in the future.
“Paving the new lot was not originally budgeted as part of the building,” Smith said.
The design includes a parapet over the with pillars to emphasize the importance of the office side, skylights over the workshop facing Depot Park, and new windows on back side for the meeting room.
The plan increases the DPW garage from two to three bays, with additional workshop, work bench, and office for the DPW supervisor.
“We’re deficient in workbench area with peg board for equipment,” Smith said.
An existing garage bay would be converted into a 34-foot, 11-inch-by-19-foot, 5 1/4-inch meeting room, about twice the size of the existing meeting space with windows in the back and its own furnace.
“We’d like to wire the room, not right away, in a couple locations for flat screen TVs,” Smith said.
A 9-foot, 5 1/4-inch-by-44-foot addition on the north side would be used for DPW office and storage space, offering more space than was available at the Baylis rental. The entrance hallway would lead to a unisex, ADA compliant restroom open at all times to the public, monitored by a security camera on the front porch. The office entrance would have a locked buzz-in door and a counter without glass, but high enough to not be easily jumped over, Smith said.
“A lot of municipalities have done away with the glass, so we’ll probably do the same,” he said. “This is something very important to us, to bring security to the front counter.”
The plan also includes offices in the back, with space for small committee meetings.
The construction drawings were to be complete by March 12, with details and materials such as toilet seats, light fixtures, and carpeting selected on March 13.
City Council set a maximum budget of $300,000, which also includes a new roof and back wall, siding, and paint.
“We think it’s a very good looking building,” Smith said. “It does all that within the budget. It’s a great facility addressing all of our needs.”
The plan is to borrow funds from the city’s water and sewer funds, which total about $600,000, with a down payment of about 10-20 percent and financing at one-percent interest.
The goal is to break ground in April and have the exterior work done by September, Smith said.
As a “community project,” the city will seek donations and in-kind contributions of supplies, labor, and building services. Clarkston Community Schools construction and trades students could provide labor during the summer, from June to September.
“We’re shooting for April 15 as the drop dead date to give students time to get to work by May 1,” Smith said.
Clarkston Historic District Commission approved expansion and renovation plans for the city hall and DPW building, Feb. 19.
Final building costs should be ready for presentation at the March 25 City Council meeting, Smith said.