The architect who presented a feasibility study on restoring Rockdale’s Old City Hall to the city council last week has an idea on how to proceed with the complicated process.
Stan Graves thinks a first step might be to use the $1 million already pledged by an anonymous donor to restore the outside to its pre-1900 splendor first.
Then the city could go out with Requests For Proposals (RFPs) on what to do, and how to fund, the inside.
IDEA—Graves is senior principal of Architexas, an architectural firm which specializes in restoring historic structures.
The feasibility study pegged restoration of the building at $3.9-million, about $1-million to restore the outside.
Council members grappled with several suggestions on how to raise funds to complete the restoration and for what purpose the inside should be used.
That decision appears to be months away but the council decided to empower City Manager Chris Whittaker to call for RFPs, hoping to attract a buyer or lessee.
Graves, in a subsequent communication with Whittaker, has proposed a different path.
“After our presentation, it occurred to me that the best course of action may be (with the donor’s approval) to use the $1-million to restore the exterior of the building including the bell tower before RFP’s are requested from developers.”
GOAL—At the meeting Whittaker said the donor’s only stipulation in making the gift was the restoration to its 1890s appearance.
Graves said he envisioned what amounted to a win-win scenario in which the donors desire would immediately be achieved, and the project would become more attractive to potential investors.
“The city’s, and donor’s, goal to regain its landmark appearance would be achieved and the building would be much more attractive to potential investors,” he said.
“Preservation easements/ covenants could be placed on the building to ensure appropriate work and use is achieved,” he added “The donor could, in fact, be a co-holder of the easement to protect their investment.”
Whittaker said his initial reaction to Graves’ idea was positive, noting that the approach would first have to be cleared with the donor.
FEASIBLE—Graves said the study revealed the building remains stable and restoration of the outside to its original 1895 look is “feasible.”
That would include a tall bell tower in the center—the 1895 bell has been preserved and is on display at the site—and two spires.
Graves said the bell, used in that era to summon the Rockdale Volunteer Fire Department to the city hall, which was also the fire station, would be restored to the central tower.
The building has been used as a police station for the past 16 years. A new police station is being constructed three blocks away.
Acombination of the discussion at last week’s city council meeting and the results of an online survey made public by the city give some idea of how big a task the city faces in determining what to do with the Old City Hall (OCH) building.
Everyone who spoke at the meeting lauded a feasibility study presented by architect Stan Graves. That study concluded full restoration, inside and outside the 1895 structure, would carry a $3.9-million price tag.
One million dollars toward the project has been pledged by an anonymous donor.
Now the real work begins and it won’t be easy. The pledge is based upon a stipulation that the rest of the money be raised through local efforts. That could, of course, involve grants, sale or lease agreements, or virtually anything else planners can think of.
While the focus has been on what the building’s outside would look like, the inside is yet to be determined, although there are plenty of ideas floating around.
The council has already been urged to commit to a “no tax money” approach in making the project happen and that is sure to be a large part of the mix as decisions are made.
The online survey is not scientific but contains some numbers which might need to be looked at carefully. It drew 180 responses, so far.
The most surprising figure is that 41 percent responding did not feel OCH should be restored to its original outside appearance. Fifty-nine percent were in favor.
And 30 percent said they did not value OCH as a “critical and historic structure.” Seventy percent said they did.
Probably the key figures, as the council and planners continue, are responses to the question if tax money should be used in restoration.
You could argue a majority said no tax money should be used. Sixteen percent opted for a flat “no,” 32 percent chose “no, use only grant or either designated money” and three percent picked “use only private funding.” That’s 51 percent
Forty-one percent chose use of a combination of public, private and grant funds and eight percent selected “spend taxpayer money to fix immediate concerns and restore it.” That’s 49 percent.
So, it’s basically 50-50 in the survey.
Shortly after the council meeting Graves came up with an interesting idea. Why not use the million-dollar gift to restore the outside and defer restoring the inside, with all its attendant uncertainties , to later?
Of course that would require the consent of the anonymous donor. The reasoning is that the donor’s wish is to get the building back to looking like it did in the McKinley Administration and the restoration would make the building more attractive to potential investors.
You can read about it on page 1A.
That sounds like an idea certainly worth pursuing. First step, of course, would be to get the donor’s blessing. It’s not going to happen without that.
If it could be pulled off, that would be a gigantic first step toward making something happen and doing it without use of any tax funds.—M.B.
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