Commissioners will consider approving $400,000 of downtown tax increment financing funds during their June 20 meeting to complete the Civic Center façade project.

Commissioners awarded a $5,411,682 contract to Talisman Construction Services for the project in April 2021.

Construction is expected to be completed in October.

Scaffolding on the front of the building came down in late May.

Crews have been cleaning the cast-stone walls and damaged sections are being replaced with custom-made replicas.

This process is done on the auditorium and fly loft and nearly complete on the east side facing Central Avenue.

Crews are also rebuilding the front steps and the city expects the front entrance to open again in late summer.

Civic Center project nearing completion

The city bonded the project and commissioners authorized up to $6 million. The city bonded $5,550,551.75.

The city bonded against the downtown TIF district and uses those TIF funds to pay the annual debt service of about $450,000.

Civic Center façade project set for summer completion [2022]

Since the bond was issued, there have been two change orders and a third is expected before the project is completed.

The first change order in October 2021 included:

• repair of the auditorium parapet
• repair of protruding and failing bricks
• removal of excess mortar
• repair of steel corrosion
• fly loft parapet work
• parapet through-wall flashing
• east entry soffit panel
• east entry substrate rebuild
• revised east row panels and substrate prep
• additional concrete at east side stair

That change order added about $300,000 to the project, increasing the total cost to just over $5.7 million, according to city staff.

Civic Center façade project progressing [2022]

City staff anticipate another change order from the contractor for about $100,000 or more and it will be presented to commissioners.

Since the city issued a bond below the $6 million authorized by commissioners, the change orders have increased the project cost above what was bonded, so staff is requesting up to $400,000 of additional downtown tax increment financing funds to complete the project.

Commissioners approve $300,000 more for Civic Center repair project [2021]

The downtown TIF fund currently has a $4,316,637 balance, according to the city.

Commissioners could deny the TIF request, causing the city to pay the contractor with funds from other sources such as CARES Act money or the general fund. Staff doesn’t recommend that option.

City staff presented the request to the Downtown Development Partnership during a May 24 meeting.

Members of the DDP expressed concern about continuing to use TIF funds for the Civic Center since it was targeted by a local legislator during the last session, but staff and the city’s bond counsel contend it’s an eligible use of TIF funds.

The DDP voted unanimously to recommend that commissioners approve the TIF request.