Chardon Council to Start Fresh on Heritage House Design
“We just can’t afford what’s drawn." ~ Paul Hornyak
Chardon City Council dragged the Heritage House project back to the drawing board Wednesday night and voted to stay within a $600,000 budget.
That figure includes about $389,000 the city has gathered from various groups and organizations and a possible state grant for which the city still needs to apply.
After more than an hour of discussion during a special work session, council voted 6-1 in favor of a multi-faceted action that included:
• Spending no more than $600,000 on the Heritage House project;
• Discharging the ad hoc committee that managed the initial project and asking them to collaborate on the second design;
• Directing the city staff to apply for state funds of up to $200,000;
• Instructing the staff to set up a design/build process for re-bidding the new concept, and:
• Asking donors of more than $2,500 to reaffirm their commitments to support a new design of the Heritage House.
Mayor Phil King started the meeting by saying council needed to either drop the project altogether or redesign it within a set budget.
“We just can’t afford what’s drawn,” said City Public Services Director Paul Hornyak, referring to the Heritage House design by architect Hank Penttila.
King noted that Penttila, using the construction manager at risk arrangement, had done as asked and designed a beautiful structure encompassing everyone’s dream of a building to replace the log cabin on historic Chardon Square.
The most recent estimate of costs was close to $750,000 or twice what the city has to spend. That estimate led to some “value engineering” which still didn’t appear to bring the cost down to a workable figure, Hornyak said.
Although Penttila’s design will not be used, as is, for the new design, he will be paid $30,000 for the work he did.
Councilman Andrew Blackley presented council with a simple layout of space as required including a meeting room, a display area for the maple syrup evaporator, a concession space, storage and utility closet, restrooms and an entry.
Council agreed a commercial kitchen could be eliminated in favor of a concession area with counters, electricity, running water and, possibly, a refrigerator, with a service window facing the bandstand. A stove was eliminated because of the cost of required safety equipment for it.
Blackley said repairs and upgrades to the old log cabin would cost around $200,000 without adding a second restroom.
Deborah Reiter cast the sole “no” vote to Councilman Jeffery Smock’s motion, explaining later that she wanted to understand more about the proposed budget of $600,000.
King said anyone who donated less than $2,500 and is dissatisfied with the new direction council is taking should contact the city with questions or to receive a refund of their contribution.
