New Lansdale Municipal Complex Estimated at $9.9M, Possible Rental of NP ESC

The evening of August 21 is stacking up to be one major meeting for the future of the Lansdale Municipal Complex at Vine and Broad streets, as revealed at Wednesday night's council meeting.

Council will vote on a recommendation that night to prepare and advertise resolutions to do the following steps related to renovation of borough hall and the police department, according to Councilman Dan Dunigan:

• Adopt an initial schematic estimate for hard costs of renovation at $9.9 million.
• Award a paving bid for a gravel lot on Ninth Street, adjacent to the Lansdale Little League ballfields on Moyer Road, in preparation for the relocation of borough hall administration and staff to modular units during the construction.
• Adopt a two-year contract at $10 an hour with North Penn School District to utilize its Educational Services Center for borough council and committee meetings, beginning as early as November 2013.

"The good thing about that number ($9.9M) is, the money is in the bank," said Administration and Finance Committee Chairman Dunigan. "There will be further estimates for design and development, and that will come as we move forward and we get to a certain point a little farther down the road."  

The temporary meeting space proposed at North Penn ESC will be need for about two years, Dunigan said.

"We will be availing ourselves of their administration building at Church and Hancock at a whopping rate of $10 per hour," Dunigan said. "With the initial plan that we may be there as soon as November, in conjunction with that, we are working on a communication plan so that we can help those that need to know where we will be."

The paving bid for the Ninth Street lot is due Aug. 16 and can be awarded Aug. 21, Dunigan said.

Jim Watson, of borough engineers Remington, Vernick and Beach, told the public works committee Wednesday night that the gravel lot is being regraded so that, when paved, it will slope to a center rain garden for stormwater management.

Electric and sanitary sewer will be coming from the borough, Watson said. 

An existing fire hydrant on site will be used for the water line, he said.  

The parking lot will have one entrance/exit, Watson said. 

"It's likely that, after our engineers evaluate the bids, it will be recommended for approval at the Sept. 21 meeting," said borough utilities director Jake Ziegler. 

Watson said the contractor will be notified that he or she has to stabilize the new grading prior to paving so the paved lot can take the load of the trailers.