The Vancouver City Council discussed the wrap-up of two city projects at Monday’s meeting.
The first, the West Barracks renovation, is now complete.
The 32,000-square-foot project came in a mere $75,000 over budget — originally projected at $8.27 million. Five million dollars of the funding came from “mini-bonds” offered by the city in 2016. Four buildings — Infantry Barracks, Artillery Barracks, Spruce Division Records Storehouse and Dental Surgeon’s Building — were renovated to allow for commercial, residential, retail and art purposes.
Since completion, 26,000 square feet of the project has been leased. Mike True, CEO of Fort Vancouver National Trust, said the remaining 6,000 square feet will likely be filled soon.
The only remaining building in the West Barracks in need of renovation is the Post Hospital.
“This one’s going to be a while,” said Jan Bader, Vancouver program and policy development manager.
The hospital requires both seismic and structure improvements. Original cost estimates put the project at $11 million, but Bader said the cost is now somewhere closer to $30 million or $35 million.
“It’s a significant cost,” Bader said. “We need to start refilling our buckets.”
The tennis center will also be revamped thanks to the help of the United States Tennis Association.
Cost recovery has continued to decrease, down from 85.8 percent to 74.9 percent in the last four years. At the same time, maintenance needs are backing up. So the city moved forward with its decision to bring in a management company to privatize the public tennis center.
The winning bid comes from USTA. The council noted it considered the company’s nonprofit status a significant plus to the company’s proposal as well as its $1.25 million in proposed infrastructure improvements.
Those improvements include $700,000 in the lobby, locker rooms and entrance, including Americans with Disabilities Act modifications; $450,000 in indoor court improvements; $25,000 for court resurfacing; and $75,000 in website, registration and point-of-sale upgrades.
It’s likely the roof also needs replaced, said Julie Hannon, Parks and Recreation Director, but the cost is unknown.
The benefit of partnering with USTA, Hannon said, is the potential to expand use of the tennis center.
The finished contract — which includes a new 10-year lease — is expected before council in October. The management transition would begin shortly thereafter.
