Two Year City Hall Retrofit Timeline Reasonable Says Columbia U Master of Science Grad Student Whose Thesis Recommends Retrofit; City Mgm't "Public Private Partnership" Timeline Anticipates Occupancy Under Civic Center Rebuild (If All Milestones Met) In Late 2019

LBReport.com

News

Two Year Timeline To Retrofit City Hall Is Reasonable Says Columbia U Master of Science Grad Student Whose Thesis Recommends Retrofit; City Mgm't "Public Private Partnership" Timeline Anticipates Occupancy Under Civic Center Rebuild (If All Milestones Met) In Late 2019

City Hall seismic issues, and city management estimated retrofit costs (nearly $200 mil) were its justification for pursuing entire Civic Center rebuild; three independent sources now estimate City Hall retrofit costs roughly between $30-$50 million

LBREPORT.com is reader and advertiser supported. Support independent news in LB similar to the way people support NPR and PBS stations. We're not non-profit so it's not tax deductible but $49.95 (less than an annual dollar a week) helps keep us online.

(Dec. 9, 2014, 9:30 a.m.) -- Talene Montgomery, the Columbia University Master of Science graduate student whose thesis recommends a City Hall seismic retrofit, has indicated she believes a reasonable roughly estimated timeline for a phased retrofit strategy (below, which retains continuous occupancy of the building during the process ) is roughly two years.

City management's timeline under a proposed "public private partnership" transaction doesn't anticipate occupancy of a new City Hall (assuming all milestones are met) until late 2019.

[Scroll down for further]

Ms. Montgomery's thesis estimate of a two year retrofit timeline strategy anticipates:

(1) Remove existing concrete panels cladding the cores.
(2) Install welded plate connections at the outer columns of each core.
(3) Re-affix the concrete panels.
(4) Weld new vierendeel beams between these plates, thereby connecting the cores.
(5) Install extension floor beams between the existing building perimeter and the new vierendeel beam.
(6) Install a new curtain wall at the outer edge delimited by the vierendeel beam.
(7) Remove original facade panels, extending the interiors out to the new perimeter.

Ms. Montgomery's thesis estimated a retrofit cost of roughly $30 million. As reported a year ago (Dec. 2013) by LBREPORT.com, the principal in an award winning LB-based architectural firm, Cameron Crockett of LB's Ultra-Unit Architectural Studio (based in LB's 2nd Council district) has indicated a City Hall retrofit (adaptive reuse) could be accomplished for roughly $30 million, and indicated he building could additionally be made current-code compliant (for ADA and other purposes) for a total for roughly $45 million and should basically come in at under $50 million. (LBREPORT.com coverage here.)

As reported yesterday (Dec. 8, 2014) by LBREPORT.com has learned that a cost estimate of $30 million has been discussed between the thesis author and an expert directing cost-management services for a major firm that provides consulting services on construction projects...and the cost-management expert told LBREPORT.com (Dec. 8) that in the context of having read the thesis and offering personal and initial, quick and with-caveats estimate, he offered a rough range of $35-$45 million (guidance of a number in the $35-45M range) which is subject to additional information and a closer review of various factors. A more precise estimate is being prepared for correspondence to the thesis author anticipated later this week.

As previously indicated in her thesis and reported by LBREPORT.com, Ms. Montgomery's retrofit thesis allows use of City Hall during its retrofit, increases usable City Hall space (meeting a city-management RFP requirement) and doesn't shrink the current size of LB's Main Library (which city management's RFP and two dueling proposals would do.)

City Hall's seismic issues were first mentioned publicly by city staff in 2005, followed by a seismic study in 2007.) City management then estimated -- without issuing an RFP and seeking bids -- a retrofit cost of nearly $200 mil as the basis for recommending that the City Council explore (and now pursue) a complex public-private-partnership transaction..

Three independent sources have since estimated City Hall retrofit costs roughly between $30-$50 million.

City management says a public-private-partnership can be approved by the Council without voter approval. Using a conventional financing bond (to cover a $30-$50 million retrofit cost or other items) would require voter approval.

Long Beach city management, and Council majorities under now-exited Mayor Bob Foster, consistently declined to issued a Request for Proposals seeking bids that could provide marketplace costs for a City Hall retrofit. Instead, a Council majority (which included now-Mayor Robert Garcia) directed "peer review" of previous seismic studies which city management has used proffered an estimated City Hall retrofit cost in now current dollars of $194 million.

City management has used its higher retrofit cost estimate to justify pursuing an entire Civic Center rebuild using a transaction in which a private developer/operator team would finance, design, build, operate and maintain LB's Civic Center for forty years in exchange for the City paying escalating sums each year and conveying prime located land under LB's former courthouse along Ocean Blvd. east of Magnolia Ave. for the private entity's development.

LBREPORT.com plans to carry tonight's (Dec. 9) City Council meeting LIVE on starting at 5 p.m.