After a presentation from Burgess & Niple engineering firm, City council could see a $2 million dollar project to repair the Washington Street parking garage in the near future.
The city’s East Washington Street parking garage has only seen repairs once every 10 to 15 years since its installation in 1970.
Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl and Mike Hinton, a representative from Burgess & Niple, said the building is in dire need of repair.
“Concrete is falling off the side of the building,” Wiehl said.
The parking garage has not been repaired since 2000, Hinton said.
During a presentation for city council members at their meeting Monday night, Hinton said the needed repairs could cost the city around $2 million: $1 million for general repairs, $500,000 for elevator repairs and $500,000 for design, bidding and construction expenses.
Hinton added that if the building sits through another winter unrenovated, the bid price for the new repairs will likely go up.
The cost of repairs in 2000 totaled about $1 million.
Hinton highlighted that the “big expenses” would include repairs to the floor and ceiling, reapplication of deck coating and a complete rehaul of the garage’s elevator system.
“The elevator can qualify as an antique,” Hinton said.
The elevator in the parking garage is 45 years old — the same system that was installed when the building was erected in 1970.
“The typical life of an elevator system is 30 years,” Robbie Cameruca, an electrical engineer with Burgess & Niple, said.
Cameruca said the elevator system would need to be completely replaced with the exception of the car. If the city were to replace the car, officials would need to change the length of the entire elevator shaft so it was in compliance with Ohio law.
The Ohio Revised Code requires that all new elevator cars have the ability to accommodate a medical gurney, Cameruca said.
Hinton predicted the start date of the project to be around May 4.
Improvements on the elevator, though, would not take place until Ohio University’s 2015-2016 winter break.
“We have to run the numbers for feasibility,” Athens Service Safety Director Paula Horan-Mosely said. “But if we don’t do it this year, we will see a 3-to-5 percent price increase.”
Council also considered adding bike racks and an electric car charging station to the parking garage project.
“To install a dual (charging) station … that’s about $6,000 or $7,000 dollars,” Hinton said.
Hinton added the other cities in Ohio that have charging systems typically don’t charge a fee to charge a car.
Councilwoman Jennifer Cochran, D-at large, is interested in the idea.
“I’m excited to hear the prospect of electric car charging,” Cochran said.
Regardless of any additions to the plan, Hinton maintained that the project needs to be done.
“Council should consider it a high priority,” Hinton said.
Councilwoman Chris Knisely, D-at large, presided over council’s meeting as president for the first time. She was sworn in 20 minutes before the meeting.
@emilybohatch
eb346012@ohio.edu
