Punta Gorda City Council scrapped plans May 7 to build a new City Hall complex and directed Principal Planner Carl Benge to return with a cost estimate for repairs to the 99-year-old City Hall building and its 47-year-old annex.
Interim City Manager Melissa Reichert said when the city receives a cost estimate, funding set aside for the former plan will be reappropriated to high-priority projects.
The majority of funding for the City Hall building comes from the 1% sales tax voters approved in past referendums.
The former administration approved plans to build a new, multilevel complex budgeted for $15,887,310 in fiscal year 2025. Hurricane Ian in 2022 caused heavy damage to City Hall, and the annex was flooded from hurricanes Helene and Milton.
In today’s market, the plan for a new City Hall would cost nearly $20 million.
Council member Janis Denton said she listened to residents who didn’t want a big extension for $20 million. Instead, residents she spoke to sought to preserve the old City Hall that has become an essential part of the municipality’s history.
Once repairs are completed, departments that have operated at satellite locations throughout the city will return to the same campus, Reichert said.
Because the former City Council expected to build a new complex, the roof was not replaced and deteriorated further.
The current City Council directed staff to solicit bids for a roofing contractor. In the meantime, repairs are being made to the roof and potential storms this year “should not be as much of a concern,” Public Works Director Ron Everts said.
Benge outlined issues needing to be addressed, including mold, a crumbling back wall, lead paint, asbestos and the HVAC and electrical system.
While the historic City Hall’s problems were more severe than the annex’s damage, Building Official Ron Cohowcz told Council repairs to the annex could be done very easily and brought into Americans with Disabilities Act compliance by changing and/or adding doors, grab bars, restroom items and ramps.
However, the historic building was another issue, as it has stairs and no elevator to the second floor.
Benge said an elevator in the old building could bring it up to ADA compliance, but the previous estimated cost of $202,235 is now higher.
Mayor Debi Lux said priorities for now should be to focus on resolving the mold issue.
Reichert said there is likely some mold-like substance within the building. The city is awaiting testing results, and officials said some of the mold remediation work would be to replace carpeting, tiles, and replacing the mechanical systems that would help to clear up the problem.
A timeline for when City Hall will reopen wasn’t set.
