PORT TOWNSEND — After more than 30 years of dreams and deliberations, the City Council acted Monday night to renovate the 112-year-old Old City Hall and construct an annex building.
The council voted 5-2 on a contract award resolution during a special business meeting at Fort Worden State Park.
The council’s approval allows City Manager David Timmons to award a construction contract to Dawson Construction Inc., which offered the low bid of $3,768,600 during the project’s second round of bidding in October.
The total project cost is estimated at $5,401,500, according to figures released by city officials.
That exceeds the initial budget by about $750,000, Timmons said, largely because of price increases on materials.
Council members Catharine Robinson, Michelle Sandoval, Freida Fenn, Kees Kolff and Laurie Medlicott voted for the project.
Geoff Masci and Frank Benskin opposed the resolution, citing concerns over financing.
Starting early next year, Bellingham-based Dawson Construction will replace the original roof, windows, flooring and conduct a series of other renovations in the building, built in 1892 at 540 Water St.
The 11,700-square-foot annex will be erected to support the old building’s north wall, especially in the event of an earthquake.
City planners conceived the annex as a solution to a required seismic upgrade to the older building as well as a means to add city office space in the new.
