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May 9, 2000
Costsannouncedfor projectsto benefitfrom sales taxBy KREMENA TODOROVA Journal Staff Writer NEW ULM -- 173; For the first time Monday, city consultants Rozeboom Miller Architects (RMA) announced cost estimates for facilities to be potentially funded with a local sales tax. The meeting, with parks and recreation officials, was the first public forum in which consultants have matched New Ulm's needs for more community program space with design solutions and costs. The proposed sales tax, at half a percent, will be voted in a city referendum this November. The consultants priced, at least tentatively, three design solutions. The idea behind these "scenarios" is to enable the City Council to select from "a menu of options" before seeking voter approval for the tax, said RMA's Principal Architect Ted Rozeboom. The City Council will be able to "cut and paste" among the three, he said. None of the options fully meet New Ulm's needs for more community space, Rozeboom said. Each package is based on the assumption that a sales tax, if in place for 20 years, would generate approximately $9 million to pay for the projects. The cost of each package is "all inclusive," which means it includes construction contingencies, fixtures and equipment, and professional and bonding costs. OPTION ONE: Expand Family Recreation Center; build small pavilion at Fairgrounds; remodel Riverside building Referendum-funded cost: $8.9 million Option One is organized around two "flagship buildings", said Rozeboom. One is an expanded Family Recreation Center (approximately $5.6 million); the other is a relatively small-size "pavilion" at Brown County Fairgrounds (approximately $1.9 million). The idea is to house the majority of New Ulm's indoor athletic programs on one site, the Family Recreation Center (Vogel Arena), which is expanded with a major addition to the east. Included in the expansion is a second Olympic-sized ice sheet with seating for 800, an elevated walking/running track, replacement of three of the existing racquetball courts, expanded locker/team rooms, office and lobby areas, elevator access to the upper level, aerobics rooms, commons and viewing areas, additional support space, etc. The remodeling of the existing facility includes major mechanical upgrades, expansion of the existing office area, reduction of the existing seating capacity at Vogel Arena to 300, conversion of the bleacher area to team rooms, and the potential for a three-station portable basketball floor and retractable basketball backstops to provide multi-purpose use. Parking lost to the expansion would be replaced, and some additional parking provided on the site's north site (200-250 stalls). The new pavilion in this option would be on the east side of the Fairgrounds grandstand building. It would be multi-purpose, designed for year-round use, and would accommodate senior programs, such quilting and congregate dining, and the assembly and performance needs of groups like the New Ulm Council for the Arts and Heritagefest. This building would feature a "cafetorium"-style hall, doubling up as a dining/performance area for groups of 150 to 300. The existing senior center would house arts and crafts programs currently located in the Riverside Building. The plan would also remodel the Riverside Building for a future tenant ($34,000). OPTION TWO: Remodel Family Recreation Center; construct major building at Fairgrounds Referendum-funded cost: $10.8 million The main element in this plan, a large new multi-purpose building at Brown County Fairgrounds would accommodate infrastructure upgrades, two ice sheets (one Olympic-sized) with capabilities for exhibition during county fair, Heritagefest and other events, assembly and performance space for community groups and all seniors' programs. This building, to the northwest side of the fairgrounds, would cost some $10 million. The plan would also remodel the Family Recreation Center to provide permanent gym space (such as basketball and volleyball courts and an indoor running track). The cost: some $700,000. The existing senior center would house arts and craft programs. OPTION THREE: Expand Family Recreation Center; expand Senior Center; remodel Riverside; complete Harman Park or Artstone soccer fields Referendum-funded cost: $8.9 million This plan, very much like Option One, concentrates the community's athletic programs at an expanded and remodeled Family Recreation Center. The cost: some $5.5 million. The expansion and remodeling of the Family Recreation Center is similar to Option One, with relatively minor differences in architectural solutions (for example, in features such as a two-station fixed, rather than portable, gym; seating for 1,000 at the new ice arena; four new racquetball courts rather than three; and layout variations). This plan, also, more than doubles in size the present senior center (cost: $1.7 million), instead of building at the Fairgrounds. The new section at the realigned senior center includes performance and dining area for 150-300, new entries to the east and west, and lobby space on the upper level, and restrooms, lobby and arts and crafts studios on the lower level. The remodeled section includes an expanded kitchen, elevator and programs room for seniors. The site development also includes increases in parking, and a new entry and dropoff. This option provides for restoring the Riverside building ($34,000), and finishing upgrades at Harman Park ($444,000). Alternatively, the plan would develop soccer fields to the north of the former Artstone site, instead of upgrading Harman Park. While not making a formal endorsement, parks commission members Monday spoke in favor of this option, touting it as the most cost-efficient and politically feasible, because the city of New Ulm, rather than Brown County owns the sites to be redeveloped.
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