Repair or replace; question for town

Although they took no action, the Century Town Council discussed and saw a set of preliminary plans for the renovation or construction of Carver Community Center to be funded with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)-COVID money in the event it has to be demolished.

Architect Ben Townes with Townes Plus Architects firm in Pensacola presented several renderings of what a new Carver Community Center would look like. Townes first discussed the results of two studies performed on the building that will be used to determine the feasibility of a renovation of the existing building or demolition and re-build.

According to a hazardous material study by NOVA Engineering and Environmental performed on the decades-old building, there was no asbestos present, but lead paint exists on the doors and door frames, window frames and troughs, interior and exterior walls, roof fascia, columns, baseboard, chalk board frame, cabinets and bathroom stalls. Also, hazardous materials were suspected in the fluorescent light fixture ballasts and fluorescent bulbs at both Carver Community Center and Century Community Center. Copies of the study results are available at Century Town Hall.

Terminix had done an evaluation, reporting there was a "lot" of termite damage. Townes said Intertek did an extensive structural evaluation that determined a "lot" as: the brick-stem wall and seal plates bolted to that stem wall are virtually deteriorated and needs to be replaced; about 60 percent of the floor joists along the stem walls need to be jacked up and leveled and put in position; about 70 percent of the bottom plate is missing due to rot or termite damage; about 40 percent of the bottom part of the studs in the building are rotten and need to be replaced and jacked into place; 30 percent of the floor needs to be removed and replaced; about 50 percent of the interior walls need to be replaced due to rot; about 20 percent of the ceiling surfaces need to be replaced; all of the exterior windows, wood window frames and exterior doors need to be replaced.

Townes reported that Intertek believes the refurbishment and replacement cost of the building is going to exceed 50 percent of the appraised building to be brought up to code. The estimated cost just to repair is $2,048,000 and the cost of hazardous remediation is estimated at $853,500.

"The question becomes, 'Do we spend money to try to make this building remediated, try to save it? Or do we tear it down and build something new, perhaps not as large, but again, that can pay homage to the existing building for a little less cost and at the end of the day have a really adequate facility for your use'," said Townes.

Townes then presented slides and specifications of a potential new building and explained the similarities and differences.

Townes said the new building would be 7,600 square feet, estimated to cost $350 per square foot for new construction, which keeps the cost for just construction under $2 million, plus several hundred thousand dollars for the sight work.

"How can we make the new building pay homage to the old building?" said Townes. "If we went to something larger, it would have to be something less than $350 per square foot construction cost. That's pretty much the going rate for construction today, especially with the function that we want to put in here. It's a lot. We're shocked by it, but it is what it is."

The council members then discussed that they could take the money they had considered dedicating to the Century Community Center on Highway 4 for upgrades and put it toward a bigger new Carver building.

The new building as presented in a schematic by Townes would be 5,700 square feet; have a shingle roof; have the same lap siding that's on the current one with the exception of it being hardy plank (cement boards); have the front porch that replicates the current front porch; have windows that will be the same scale; have offices, modern bathrooms, modern telecommunications, mechanical rooms, a large multi-purpose room and a modern, usable kitchen.

"It will look almost identical to the building you have there now." said Townes. "You'll have a building that you won't have any maintenance issues with for a while. You'll have a building here that will last you a good 50 years because it will be built to today's standards, which means it will be storm-resistant."

Council members expressed concern about the size of the rooms and how occupancy would be effected. Townes assured them the size of the rooms can be modified to satisfy the peoples' desire.

"The magic number is 750 square feet," said Towns. "You have to have more than one exit/entrance if there is more than 750 square feet. We can add doors to make the rooms larger and room dividers can be utilized."

Townes said any place smaller than 750 square feet is not considered a place for assembly.

Century grant administrator Robin Phillips said there will be a series of community meetings to get feedback from the community, then make adjustments, if the building has to be demolished and re-built.

"As a student of that school at one time, we just need to find more money then, to cover the cost to bring it back to that original state," said Century resident Anthony Robinson. "My request is that, if we don't have the money to do that right now, let's hold off until we can get it. If we could find another grant out there, Robin, and bring that building back to it's original state, I think that's what most of the town of Century wants."

Councilman Luis Gomez thanked Robinson for his comment and assured him that conversation will be had and at a future date when the community is present.

"All options will be weighed when 90 percent of the community is in here to make that decision," said Gomez. "Your opinion is valuable and is well-warranted. We are going to have several opinions. This is the first glimpse we've had tonight. I just want some rock solid evidence that it will be put back, if it gets torn down."

Meetings that will invite Century residents' input about the Carver Community Center will be advertised and held in the future.

The next council meeting will be held at 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 6, at Century Town Hall. The public is invited.