The Zephyrhills City Council is continuing to consider its options regarding a new City Hall.
Under one option, a new building would be erected at the existing City Hall site, 5335 Eighth St. Under the other, the SunTrust Bank building at at 5435 Gall Blvd., would be purchased and renovated.
Todd Vande Berg, city planning director, detailed the pros and cons of each option in a PowerPoint presentation during a special City Council meeting on Sept. 14.
The new City Hall building, at about 16,500 square feet, would cost about $7.7 million, while the purchase and renovation of the 44-year-old SunTrust Bank, which is about 21,500 square feet, would cost about $6.2 million, according to Vande Berg’s presentation.
Some challenged the accuracy of those projections.
City Manager Steve Spina reasoned that total costs between the two options would wind up being closer than the report shows.
“The new construction (estimates) for the new building is too high, and the renovation of the SunTrust building is too low,” Spina said. “We need to balance those out a little bit, because we’re not going to build at almost $400 per square foot, and I don’t think you can do the (SunTrust) at $180 per square foot.”
Further, he said, contractor quotes on the SunTrust building can’t be taken at face value, due to the distinctions in municipal building codes.
“We operate under different rules. We can’t accept those (contractor) quotes to fix the roof, or fix the air, or fix the elevator,” Spina explained. “We have to go out to bid and follow certain financial requirements. That always changes things.”
He continued: “There are procedures that we follow required by our own ordinances and state law that will make things cost more.”
City council members, too, voiced their concerns about the aesthetics and exterior of the SunTrust building, and the practicality of purchasing a 44-year-old building.
“It’s not really the most attractive building,” councilman Ken Burgess said.
Councilman Lance Smith concurred: “I’m not sure we want a City Hall that looks like a 40-year old building.”
Smith added that purchasing the SunTrust building, too, might be a “lost opportunity” for private businesses in Zephyrhills.
“I think about the Kmart building that is up the street (on Market Square) and then lo and behold, Florida Medical comes into that building. I don’t know if the government had bought that building that we’d have Florida Medical,” Smith explained. “That being said, I’m concerned about this (City Hall) site as well.”
Council vice president Alan Knight said, for him, “it’s all about the money” in making a decision on whether to proceed with erecting a new city hall, or purchasing the bank building.
Knight agreed with the city manager, saying he believes the cost estimates for both options are actually closer than what was presented, and said he is leaning toward designing a new city hall.
“I said from the beginning that if we couldn’t save at least $2 million, I don’t see it,” Knight said about the option to purchase the SunTrust building. “I would venture to say…that we’re looking at $300,000 to $500,000 in unknown.”
Another point brought up during the nearly 90-minute meeting concentrated on the amount of additional investigation that should be made into the SunTrust option. It’s estimated that an initial structural assessment of the building may cost $15,000 to $30,000.
“How far do we want to take this? How much money do we want to invest in looking into it?” said councilman Charles Proctor.
Proctor added the choice will be “really, really tough,” but, said he “doesn’t see a major savings” with the SunTrust option.
“To me, I would rather have a brand-new building, but on the same hand, I would never approve a new building at that ($375 per square-foot) rate.”
During a regularly scheduled council meeting on Aug. 22, Spina said he was “adamantly against” the city purchasing the SunTrust building. During that meeting, Spina noted the city — if they purchased the building — would also lose its tax rolls, which total about $15,000 per year.
A final decision on the City Hall is expected at the council’s next meeting, slated for Sept. 26.
Dialogue aside, the wheels have been in motion to construct a new city hall on the existing site.
On July 11, the council approved a $590,900 contract with the architecture firm Harvard Jolly, to help design a new city hall.
In 2013, Harvard Jolly was hired to help design the Zephyrhills Public Library. The firm later faced scrutiny over the project’s escalating costs.
The City Hall design agreement includes a clause that requires the firm to provide a maximum price for the project.
Spina addressing the council, said they will be involved in the building process “every step of the way.”
“The things that are going to be proposed…are not going to be exorbitant,” Spina said. “They’re going to be tasteful, and they’re going to be reasonable. They’re going to suit the community and suit our needs, and we’re not going to build a Taj Mahal.”
In other business, the council approved first reading ordinances setting the millage rate and budget for fiscal year 2016-2016. The nearly $68.7 million budget is based on a 6.35 millage rate.
Build on existing City Hall site
Land Size
- 52,000 square feet, 1.19 acres
Building Size
- 16,500 square feet (proposed)
- Projected cost: $7.7 million, according to the workshop presentation
Purchase and renovate SunTrust building site
Land Size
- 71, 800 square feet, 1.65 acres, plus additional outparcels owned by SunTrust
Building Size
- 21,500 square feet (existing)
- Projected cost: $6.2 million, according to the workshop presentation
Published September 21, 2016
