The freeze on the proposed Mower County multipurpose building may be thawing, after meetings held last week between investors, contractors, city and county employees and the architect assigned to the project.

Tuesday, January 23, 2001

The freeze on the proposed Mower County multipurpose building may be thawing, after meetings held last week between investors, contractors, city and county employees and the architect assigned to the project.

Certain changes to the building structure and the method of heating were proposed, which could possibly bring the project within $350,000 above the proposed budget amount – to $5.85 million.

A suggestion was made by one of the contractors present to go with either a precast or pre-engineered exterior, but not a combination of the two. Choosing one or the other will make a difference in the overall cost of construction.

"That’s something the city will have to discuss," County Coordinator Craig Oscarson said. "A pre-engineered construction fits in with the fairgrounds, but it may not in the neighborhood."

Reducing the height of the structure, as also was suggested, will limit the total seating.

"If that option is chosen, we will have 1,000 seats on what can be called the competition side, and there will be no room for expansion," Oscarson said.

Another suggestion, to purchase aluminum bleachers instead of pouring concrete ones, was suggested as a means to decrease construction costs.

If geothermal heating is chosen as the energy source for the building, Oscarson said that concrete bleachers could be heated with pipes running throughout.

When the geothermal system makes ice for the arena, it will generate heat. That energy will then be redirected to heat the building in the winter and to cool it in the summer.

"The committee is pretty sold on that method of heating," Oscarson added, which also could possibly save close to $100,000 per year in utility costs. The committee also may be able to set up an energy-saving program with Austin Utilities.

"I think that the building is still a possibility," Oscarson said.

A meeting will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 7 to discuss the architect’s revised cost estimates. It will be open to the public.

"At that point, we will have to decide whether to rebid, whether to kill it or, as was suggested at the meeting, to negotiate with the lowest bidder," Oscarson said.

He said that the county will be confirming with County Attorney Pat Oman that the negotiation option is a legal one before considering it.

He added that the city and county have continued to have a good relationship over the course of the project and he foresees that continuing into the future.