Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Even as it puts the finishing touches on Centennial Hall, the city is attempting to remodel the old City Hall building across the street to house the remaining city staffers.

That two-phase $288,000 renovation will take place over two years, said Deputy City Manager Wendy Dubord. The City Hall, which initially housed about 20 people, now opens its doors every morning to 41 employees, Dubord said. The building has received one expansion since the city purchased it about 15 years ago, but that expansion did not come close to meeting the demand for space, she said.

The proposed remodeling may not include an expansion but will likely mean space will be reallocated to ensure proper use of the building as some employees move to Centennial Hall.

Dubord recently sent out a request for proposals soliciting ideas from architects interested in drawing up the plans for a remodeled City Hall. The architectural consultant will guide the city in determining which personnel should be placed in which areas of the old building. Part of City Hall will be vacated by personnel moving to Centennial Hall and employees will be shifted, Dubord said.

On top of the problems with cramped quarters, the city has had to deal with a leaky roof for a number of years. In the spring, city employees routinely place buckets in problem areas and listen to the water drip through the ceiling as they work, Dubord said. The entire roof may have to be replaced, she added.

In addition, the city's computer and telecommunications infrastructure has become outdated and demands new wiring to support the integrated network that will connect the current city hall with Centennial Hall, Dubord said.

Jan Kaminski of Mountain Architecture Design Group undertook a space needs assessment study for the city in 1999, analyzing both its short- and long-term needs.

He found the city would need to create about 6,069 new square feet for employees within 20 years based on projections of the needs of personnel in different departments. That number is based on an annual growth rate of 2.85 percent. Dubord said the remodel is in line with the long-term space needs assessment study.

Not counting Centennial Hall, the city now has 8,300 square feet at its disposal.

Centennial Hall will help the city with its space problems, allowing planning and Geographic Imaging Systems personnel to relocate.