News
Community Center renovations near completion
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| Renovations to the Willcox Community Center, such as removing the dropped ceiling and installing new lights, have already made a remarkable difference in the building's interior. Nick Hunnicutt, with Sellers & Sons, Inc., completes some carpentry work. (DAVE BROWN /Arizona Range News) |
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
With work on the building's interior coming to a close next month, renovations to the Willcox Community Center have produced some dramatic results.
Tucson Architects David Shambach and Bob Lanning made a presentation to the Willcox City Council earlier this month on the progress of the project to rehabilitate the center.
"What a remarkable asset to the community," Shambach told the council.
"We're convinced that this is one of the largest auditoriums of mud adobe in Southern Arizona."
Their Power Point demonstration, complete with "before and after" photos, showed that the dropped ceiling has been removed, which has exposed the beams to add some architectural character to the building.
"We are bringing the structure back to its roots," Shambach said.
Lighting specifically designed for high ceilings and adjustable to four different levels, has also been installed.
"Acoustically, the building is a lot better and overall lighting is better," he said.
Renovations are making the "building function more efficiently and more comfortably with less energy and lower cost," Shambach said.
The new construction amount is $328,365 - an increase of 1.2 percent over the original bid amount.
"Given the potential unknowns, it's actually going pretty well," he said.
This phase of the construction is scheduled for completion in the first two weeks of September, Shambach told the Range News.
City Council had unanimously awarded the $324,500 contract to Sellers and Sons, Inc., at its May 5 meeting.
"Sellers and Sons has been doing a real good job for them," Shambach said.
A Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for a total of $247,000, supplemented by $60,000 in city general funds, is funding the project.
CDBG funds must be used to benefit low-income persons and areas, alleviate slum and blight, or address urgent need.
In March 2006, City Council had voted unanimously to rehabilitate the community center with the CDBG funds awarded through the Arizona Department of Housing and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In June 2007, the city hired Shambach and Lanning for renovating the community center.
At that time, the site plan for the renovation showed new chip-sealed parking spaces, new parking spaces designated for the disabled, and new sidewalks.
It also included new roofing on the building, removable ballards, a new dumpster location and rerouting the sewer line.
The floor plan included a new HVAC system, new lighting, a remodeled warming kitchen and refurbished toilets, as well as new toilets for the handicapped.
Other improvements in Phase 1 included new roof insulation, interior finish repair and painting, lintel repair and replacement, exterior crack repair and painting, and new trees that are more suitable for the courtyard space.
Two ADA-compliant restrooms next to the exits on the south side of the building are being added, and the roofing was removed entirely and re-applied.
Asbestos, which was found in a few places in some of the roofing and in ductwork above the ceiling, was removed.
Tucson Architects David Shambach and Bob Lanning made a presentation to the Willcox City Council earlier this month on the progress of the project to rehabilitate the center.
"What a remarkable asset to the community," Shambach told the council.
"We're convinced that this is one of the largest auditoriums of mud adobe in Southern Arizona."
Their Power Point demonstration, complete with "before and after" photos, showed that the dropped ceiling has been removed, which has exposed the beams to add some architectural character to the building.
"We are bringing the structure back to its roots," Shambach said.
Lighting specifically designed for high ceilings and adjustable to four different levels, has also been installed.
"Acoustically, the building is a lot better and overall lighting is better," he said.
Renovations are making the "building function more efficiently and more comfortably with less energy and lower cost," Shambach said.
The new construction amount is $328,365 - an increase of 1.2 percent over the original bid amount.
"Given the potential unknowns, it's actually going pretty well," he said.
This phase of the construction is scheduled for completion in the first two weeks of September, Shambach told the Range News.
City Council had unanimously awarded the $324,500 contract to Sellers and Sons, Inc., at its May 5 meeting.
"Sellers and Sons has been doing a real good job for them," Shambach said.
A Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for a total of $247,000, supplemented by $60,000 in city general funds, is funding the project.
CDBG funds must be used to benefit low-income persons and areas, alleviate slum and blight, or address urgent need.
In March 2006, City Council had voted unanimously to rehabilitate the community center with the CDBG funds awarded through the Arizona Department of Housing and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
In June 2007, the city hired Shambach and Lanning for renovating the community center.
At that time, the site plan for the renovation showed new chip-sealed parking spaces, new parking spaces designated for the disabled, and new sidewalks.
It also included new roofing on the building, removable ballards, a new dumpster location and rerouting the sewer line.
The floor plan included a new HVAC system, new lighting, a remodeled warming kitchen and refurbished toilets, as well as new toilets for the handicapped.
Other improvements in Phase 1 included new roof insulation, interior finish repair and painting, lintel repair and replacement, exterior crack repair and painting, and new trees that are more suitable for the courtyard space.
Two ADA-compliant restrooms next to the exits on the south side of the building are being added, and the roofing was removed entirely and re-applied.
Asbestos, which was found in a few places in some of the roofing and in ductwork above the ceiling, was removed.
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