Council ponders decision on condemned City Hall after hearing residents
Trending
As Williamsport City Council weighs several options on what is next for City Hall, a few residents expressed concerns and laid out the timeline and confusion they feel about the condemned and treasured historic structure.
City Hall, 254 W. Fourth St., has been condemned since Aug. 4, 2021, after damage caused by water leakage and again further water damage in December of that year.
It was built in 1891 and was a federal post office. It was dedicated in 1979 as a home for city government and is on the list of the National Historic Register.
The estimates to repair the building are into the millions.
“I’m all for history but at what cost?” Williamsport City Councilman Jon Mackey asked at a special meeting on the bid presented by JBAS Realty of Jessup.
The highest responsible bid of $555,500 must legally be accepted or rejected in two weeks. Two lower bidders were not considered at this time.
"History, at what cost?" Mackey reiterated, in response to those at a special meeting who believe that 1891-built City Hall on West Fourth Street should be repaired and remain a host for city government.
Estimates by a former city engineer placed that cost at $6 million or more.
Currently, government offices are in various buildings – Trade and Transit I, Trade and Transit II, River Valley Transit, City Department of Public Works and the former Peter Herdic Transportation Museum for the past two years.
Mackey noted how one of the three lowest bidders, Tim Butters, who bid $100,000, restored the former City Hall on Pine Street into a grand local history-themed hotel with a barber shop and a restaurant and bar inside the building.
"And the sun still comes up every morning," Mackey said, "How much sense does it make for 25 people to occupy 40,000 square feet," the amount of space of condemned City Hall?" he asked.
"It seems irrational to me," Mackey said.
No one mentioned the accessibility compliance issue, he said.
Some on council not on the same page on this issue
"The reason why we moved out was because it wasn't ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant," Mackey said.
Although having the floor, Mackey was briefly interrupted by Councilwoman Liz Miele who said, "Jon, we left City Hall because we thought there was mold in there."
Mackey disagreed with that assertion.
"No, we left due to the water damage," he said.
Several in the audience reflected on the events leading up to the building's condemnation.
A retired officer worker speaks
Retired city employee Mary Rucinski, whose former office was on the second floor, and was the city historic preservation officer until her retirement, read from her notes on how water entered City Hall during rain storms in July of 2021.
The conditions were hot and humid and it was thought the environment was conducive to producing mold, a health hazard.
An environmental testing and assessment company was contacted and took numerous samples of the air and other samples throughout the building.
"My understanding was that less than 25 percent of City Hall was affected by this water event," Rucinski said.
Without the full assessment being returned, certain rooms and spaces on the second and third floors of the building were condemned in early August of that year, specifically Aug. 4.
The final assessment was not provided to the city until Sept. 8, 2021.
Employees were relocated and equipment and materials moved out of the building.
"Maybe it was a matter of taking a safe course, but still there was a discrepancy in what was decided on," Rucinski said, acknowledging that she did not see the final assessment report but noted others in the audience at this special meeting had.
The final report showed that other than some localized areas with slightly higher relative humidity levels, there was essentially nothing wrong with the air quality and mold levels were within the normal range, according to the copy obtained by the newspaper and described at the meeting.
"I question whether it was necessary to keep people out of City Hall," Rucinski said.
"Maybe things should be reconsidered as more information becomes available," she said.
However, adding to the miserable situation, the building sustained further water damage in December 2021 when a pipe burst and covered scalding water on several floors while the building remained empty and condemned.
Making the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, adding the ramp to West Fourth Street, took place before the water and structural damage.
A preservationist offers thoughts
"I am concerned about the fate of our beautiful Romanesque City Hall," said Gloria Miele, of 407 W. Fourth St., owner of the Peter Herdic House and other properties on Fourth Street and the mother of a councilwoman.
Miele observed how the council formed an ad-hoc committee in 2020 that identified two options, one of which was to stay in the building, making repairs, at a cost of $5,498,000 to be funded by grants and loans.
The other option was to move to Trade and Transit I and pursue a regional safety building at the cost of $18 million, which also would be funded by grants and loans. "Five million to $18 million," Miele said.
The ad-hoc committee recommended the best option would be to remain in City Hall and issued a request for proposal for a designed-built contract.
No request for proposals was issued at this time and then the building sustained the water damage, a gutter leak in July, 2021.
"I've had two gutter leaks in my house and never thought of getting my house condemned," Miele said.
After the condemnation, city government moved out of the building at an estimated cost of $150,000, for the move and $50,000 in modifications.
"Now, she said, "City Hall is for sale. City Hall does not belong to the mayor or City Council, it belongs to the citizens of Williamsport."
"It belongs to the public and it shouldn't be sold without public input," she added,
Others question repair estimate range
Glenn Shaffer noted how the estimated cost to make necessary repairs and accessibility renovations ranged from $2 million in 2019 up to $20 million this year.
"This is a huge difference," he said.
Several professionals including former city engineer and codes administrator and local architect, construction management firm examined the building, placing the construction estimates in the range of $4 million to $6 million.
In the recommendation the ad-hoc committee recommended the cost at $5.5 million.
After the nine-month study covering the options of staying in the building, buying another building, constructing a building or renting space the ad-hoc committee recommended staying in City Hall as the most cost effective option in the long term, Shaffer said.
Current city administrators seem to have no plan other than to stay in space rented in three buildings managed and soon-to-be-owned by the River Valley Transit Authority.
"This temporary measure is now going on two years," he said.
The city Bureau of Police are in a fourth building (former Herdic Transportation Museum) containing a deed restriction which precludes them from occupying the space, Shaffer said.
"How much is it going to cost to buy a new building, construct a new building or keep renting space in buildings not owned by the city?" he asked. "It seems that no one knows at this point."
"The citizens of Williamsport deserve to know the short-and-long-term costs of all possible options before any specific option is chosen, and definitely before historic City Hall, which it has been for more than 40 years, is sold for a fraction of what it is worth," he said.
Lisa Fink, a business owner and property owner, sensed a frustration among the council and administration and fatigue for batting this ball around for so long.
"You've been examining this conundrum for years," she said.
Fink made reference to the extensive ad-hoc committee investigation and recalled how in that report it was stated that in the city 2021 budget as well as CDBG money and another of other outside funding streams such as federal and state grants made staying in City Hall the best option.
However, she said no plans were made and on top of it the city was sued for not being building-compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
After the water leak people inside started to complain about headaches and other maladies linked to the water damage.
The administration decided to temporarily move people out of City Hall. "This was to be temporary."
She recalled the mold and air quality study and its findings that were not publicly released.
"Why was it condemned and why didn't everyone return to City Hall at that juncture?" she asked.
Following this, there was the stated water pipe burst in December 2021, probably because the heat was not turned on, or high enough due to the building being vacant, she said. "Or perhaps it wasn't turned on at all. I sense your frustration."
After the damage was done, council met and discussed repairing City Hall in February, 2022.
At that time, the estimate was given as $6 million to $20 million, which, Fink said, was not an estimate that "anyone can plan around."
Council asked for a firmer figure and former Codes Administrator Joseph Gerardi proposed that he and former engineer Jon Sander would review the building and firmer figure in two months.
"That report never materialized," Fink said.
It must be noted that Gerardi felt the figure was closer to $6 million to make the building codes compliant and accessible.
"It was never given to you in writing or presented to the council," Fink said. "How frustrating," she added, "I sense you are ready to wash your hands of the whole thing and to sell the building and who can blame you."
What happens next, she asked. "The mayor has alluded to buying another historical building in town and restoring it or building new," she said.
"At what cost?" Fink asked. "Again, you have no solvent plan, no figures on which to make an informed decision."
"I'm asking you not to sell City Hall. If you do, there is no turning back."
An architect sees potential
Pajama Factory owner Mark Winkelman, an architect, said the City Hall is not going anywhere.
"I’m here to promote a kind of a bold vision," he said, adding that it was possible to begin a modern restoration.
"Williamsport and the many historic buildings and homes gave me such a positive impression when I first visited here," the native New York resident said.
"This historic architecture is such an asset that I believe can be promoted to help the city in recovery," he said.
It is possible to see an adaptive reuse and restoration effort, he noted.
Winkelman encouraged council to consider ways to return city services and departments under one roof.