Pullman purchases new city
hall
Officials say they have
been leasing space in the facility while they approach the construction phase
By Scott Jackson
Moscow Pullman Daily News
staff writer April 12, 2018
This rendering from Design
West Architects shows how the sanctuary of the Encounter Ministries building
could be remodeled into the City Council chambers if the building is purchased
to serve as Pullman City Hall.
Pullman has finalized its
$3.5 million purchase of the Encounter Ministries campus, which city officials
plan to convert into a new city hall and recreation center, Pullman Mayor Glenn
Johnson said.
Voters approved a
proposition in February that permits the city to issue $10.5 million in general
obligation bonds to finance the project. Johnson said the city plans to begin
offering the bonds for sale in the early summer. He said the remaining $7
million will be used to remodel the two buildings into a space more suitable to
house city operations.
"We've engaged with
Design West; they're going to help with all of our design and getting us
through the construction side," City Supervisor Adam Lincoln said.
Lincoln said Design West
Architects, which has offices in downtown Pullman, has been assisting with a
community outreach strategy to gather input from residents on what features
they would like to be included in the project. He said the city should begin to
accrue feedback and consider what can fit in the budget near the end of the
month.
Lincoln said the city is
leasing the space back to Encounter Ministries for its Sunday services while
the group prepares to renovate and move into its new headquarters - the YCC
building on Grand Avenue. Lincoln said the city is also leasing space in the
recreation building to another Christian organization as well as a local cheer
squad. He said the groups are only using the space on a short-term basis and
will likely be out of the building by the time construction begins.
"We figured the
planning phase is going to be eight or nine months and then (another) eight or
nine months of construction," Lincoln said.
The project is scheduled to
be completed by October 2019.
When planning the initial
cost estimate, Lincoln said the city created a "smart" budget that
allows room for relocation expenses as well as unexpected costs and
embellishments. Lincoln said he doesn't foresee many problems moving forward.
"The church building
in particular, it's something that's pretty easily remodeled," Lincoln
said. "It's a giant rectangular building, so moving walls a little bit and
making some adjustments shouldn't be a major concern."
Lincoln said all
departments currently housed in the old City Hall building, which includes city
administrative offices as well as public works and planning, will transfer into
the new facility once it is complete. Additionally, he said parks and
recreation administrators will move from their offices in Pioneer Center to
spaces in the new gym building. While Pioneer Center has the potential to be
reclaimed by the school district for office space, there is little word on the
fate of what is to become of the old City Hall. Lincoln said the City Council
has not made a decision yet, but speculated the city would likely explore
options to sell the property.
