Bainbridge Weighs Historical v. Economical in Town Hall Renovation
Bainbridge Township Trustees hashed out design plans for renovating the town hall during their Aug. 12 meeting with Cleveland-based DS Architecture.
Bainbridge Township Trustees hashed out design plans for renovating the town hall during their Aug. 12 meeting with Cleveland-based DS Architecture.
The idea to renovate the building originated during COVID-19, when trustees wanted to improve their online meetings by building a new trustees room.
It has since expanded to include modernizing the whole building.
DS Architecture owner Jeffery Meyers and project designer Andrew Thompson presented design plans last Monday and specifically discussed the front room of the town hall building.
One of the challenges designers are facing is the potential loss of historical value, which they ran into when evaluating the front room, which was originally built in 1928 by the then Bainbridge Board of Education.
It was used as a gymnasium for school students. Countless school dances, plays, graduation ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, baby showers and other events have been held in that room, according to the Bainbridge Township Historical Society.
The trustees recently closed the room so DS Architecture could study the building and see where improvements could be made to modernize the building.
“A lot of ADA compliance was necessary and the front room is where it all stopped. The trusses in the front room have failed. We have had a lot of professionals look at it and we have to take the roof off to restructure the trusses, so just saving that front room would be $700,000,” said Bainbridge Township Trustee Kristina O’Brien. “That is a lot of money for a room that does not get used often.”
The $700,000 does not include any of the front room’s other expenses. However, it would save the historical value of the front room, she said.
Meyers described this as a “compounding cost” during his presentation, meaning, trying to save that history adds to the overall expense of an improved town hall.
Trustee Jeffery Markley objected to tearing down history in the front room, but acknowledged the conundrum.
“I still believe that there is value in the historical component. Any grant money is going to be something few and far between because the town hall is not on a state historical registry and it has been chopped up in an amalgamation of buildings over the years,” he said. “I’m willing to let this process proceed to see what the construction drawings look like.
“I am trying to look at the fiscal reality. We are in a climate where people do not want to approve a fire levy and that’s life and death,” he continued. “I don’t know what else to do, other than try and save money whichever way we can because the rest of us do not want to pay for (historical value).”
After extensive discussion, the trustees motioned and approved the creation of construction documents for the demolition and reconstruction of the exterior of the town hall.
“This is just the design process of what it would look like if that part was removed, it’s not taking action to tear it down today,” Markley explained.
Discussion of renovation designs will continue and Meyers presumed there would be eight to 12 weeks before estimated numbers of the full cost would be debated.
kayl
