(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The Ketchikan City Council has scheduled a special meeting to review the results of the City funded Centennial Building Assessment Project and the Foraker Group funded Tongass Historical Museum Expansion Project.

The special public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 10th at 7:00 pm at the Ted Ferry Civic Center. According to a memo written by Ketchikan City Manager Karl Amylon, the meeting will be videotaped for rebroadcast on KPU CommVision at a later date. Regarding GCI's Ketchikan cable subscribers, there was no mention made as to if this public meeting video will be available to the GCI service for rebroadcast.

Foraker Group Project Manager Martha Schoenthal and Museum Director Michael Naab will make a presentation to the City Council regarding the work that has been undertaken over the last several months and the recommendations regarding the Centennial Building the and Tongass Historical Museum that have resulted from the planning efforts.

The Ketchikan Public Library once shared the Centennial Building with the Tongass Historical Museum. The longest continuously operating library in Alaska, the Ketchikan Public Library recently moved into its newly constructed 16,250 square foot building located on Copper Ridge Lane.

Amylon said that while the estimated cost for the Tongass Historical Museum to expand into the Centennial Building is likely higher than the City Council may have anticipated, he said it is important to note that a significant portion of the capital investment is the result of necessary upgrades to the existing mechanical, electrical, roofing and thermal efficiency systems; compliance with state building and fire codes; ADA requirements; and updating site amenities and interior finishes to allow the Museum to function better within the expanded space. Amylon noted that many of these expenditures would have been needed in the next several years if the Ketchikan Library and Museum had continued to share space within the Centennial Building.

Three different options and their estimated project costs were analyzed. HMS Inc. provided a professional construction cost estimate for each of the three options. To develop a total project cost estimate for each option, other soft costs such as administration, design and project management, and costs such as furniture, fixtures and equipment and contingency were estimated and included. The estimate total project costs for the three options are:

• New Facility $9,580,000
• Renovations to accommodate museum function, includes upgrades and repairs $8,260,000
• Upgrades and repairs only $6,888,000

If the City Council decides to endorse the renovation concept alternative, the City Manager stated that the next appropriate step would be to have his office work with the Museum Director and the Engineering Division to begin working on the preparation of an implementation plan for further consideration by the City Council.

The special meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 7:00 pm at the Ted Ferry Civic Center. The public is invited to attend. There will be time for public comment.

On the Web:

Special City Council Meeting Agenda
http://www.city.ketchikan.ak.us/mayor/documents/130110ag.pdf

Copy of the Tongass Historical Museaum Project Summary & Tongass Historical Museum Renovation Concept Design (99 pages)
ftp://www.city.ketchikan.ak.us/pub/agenda/130110a.pdf

Sources of News: 

City of Ketchikan
www.city.ketchikan.ak.us

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