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StarTribune.com MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA
Oak Park Heights OKs city hall design
By ALLIE SHAH, Star Tribune
October 21, 2008
To build or not to build a new City Hall in Oak Park Heights no longer is the question.
Now it's what to build and where to put it.
City leaders recently approved preliminary designs for a new City Hall with two levels and
a rotunda shaped like an octagon.
The building would sit just north of the current site on Oak Park Boulevard North, and it
would measure about 24,000 square feet.
411 The schematic designs — which will be on display next Tuesday at an open house —
signal the next phase of the much - debated City project. Hall ect. Earlier in the process, some
residents questioned the need for building a new City Hall and objected to the multi-
million dollar estimated cost.
They presented a petition to the Oak Park Heights City Council and the council then
formed a citizens' advisory committee to help decide whether to renovate the existing
building or start anew.
The current City Hall was built in the late 1960s and has had several additions over the
past 20 years. It is the main hub for govemment and community activities serving the
city's 4,500 residents. City leaders say that it has deteriorated and needs updating to
meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Last spring, the citizens' advisory committee recommended building a new City Hall, and
the City Council voted to authorize the issuance of $6.3 million in bonds to finance the
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Oak Park Heights OKs city hall design Page 2 of 3
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project.
Architect Randy Engel, of Buetow and Associates in St. Paul, created the schematic
designs. The plans show a main level that would house all city departments and
administrative offices, and a lower level for underground parking spaces, locker rooms
and storage space for police evidence and city records.
One of the design's distinctive features is the octagon- shaped rotunda that functions as
the main entrance.
"It will be a sky -lit rotunda, hopefully," said city Administrator Eric Johnson. "It will provide
a lot of light and openness. People will walk in and right up to a counter and take care of
their business. Right now, there are three different windows in three different parts of the
building."
He said although the city's budget is $6 million, city officials want to remain below that
number. "We'll strive to work for a project well below that," he said. "Now we have a
• concept and we think it's well within budget. Some of the green building initiatives could
be more expensive than anticipated, which may require some additional investment. But
there could be some rate of return which could result in 'X' amount of savings."
Allan Stevens was on the citizens' advisory committee and has done an about -face since
joining the committee and reviewing the different options for repairing or building a new
City Hall.
He said the committee's work is done and he's pleased with the outcome.
"It is on the right track and I think the council is tuned in. At least they put me in there,
and I guess they won me over. I initially thought this was goofy and we shouldn't do that,"
he said.
Members of the committee, which included citizens and City Council members, did not
agree on everything regarding the design of the building. But, said Stevens, there was
one thing everyone was unanimous about: no flat roof. The current City Hall has a flat
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Oak Park Heights OKs city hall design Page 3 of 3
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roof and in Minnesota that is a no -no.
Construction is expected to begin next spring, and the new building will open by February
2010, city officials said. The current building will be demolished.
Allie Shah • 651 - 298 -1550.
2008 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
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Oak Park Heights / Council backs new municipal building
• Officials say $6.3M now will mean long -term savings
By Mary Divine
mdivi neCa1 pioneeraress.com
Article Last Updated: 05/13/2008 11:50:39 PM CDT
Oak Park Heights officials decided Tuesday night it makes more sense to build an energy - efficient, secure and
accessible municipal facility rather than renovate City Hall.
The Oak Park Heights City Council voted 4 -1 to spend $6.3 million for a new municipal building consisting of a
City Hall, public works department and police station. It would be built near the current City Hall at 14168 Oak
Park Blvd.
City officials said the list of needs at the current facility is long and would cost at least $2.5 million to fix. Among
the necessities: locker rooms for police and public works departments, a fire sprinkler system, a new heating and
cooling system, a new roof and accessibility improvements.
Mayor David Beaudet made the motion in support of building a new City Hall. He said the current facility, which
was built in 1968 and underwent its last major renovation in 1989, is not energy- efficient. A new "green" building
would result in "long -term savings in the future," he said.
Building new means an increase in property taxes of $77.86 a year for a $200,000 single - family house in the city,
Beaudet said. The average Oak Park Heights home is valued at about $207,000, he said.
Council Member Jack Doerr said voting to build new marked the wisest investment of tax dollars. He said the
project's price tag would only go up.
"Is this a good time to build? I believe it is," he said. "There are construction companies out there looking for
work, and I'm sure
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we'll get good bids. I know construction (costs) wont be this slack forever. The cost of bonds, the cost of
construction, everything is going to be higher. I think this is the optimal time to do it."
Added Council Member Mark Swenson: "Spending $77 (a year) to get something that will last 50 years. ... It's a
good investment."
But Council Member Mary McComber, the lone dissenting vote, said increasing property taxes could harm some
residents.
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"I'm not 100 percent convinced that this is the time to do it," McComber said. "Seventy dollars (a year) could be
• a struggle for a lot of people who are on fixed incomes or are unemployed. I'm not convinced that this the right
time to do this."
The council also voted Tuesday night to reconvene a citizens group that earlier this year studied space needs at
City Hall. The group will be asked to work with architects to produce schematic designs for the new municipal
building, Beaudet said.
Mary Divine can be reached at 651 - 228 -5443.
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