Aiken City Council unanimously backed staff's recommendation on using Cheatham Fletcher Scott Architects to design the Eustis Park Senior-Youth Center.
Council voted Monday, with the exception of Council member Lessie Price who was out of the room, between using Johnson Laschober & Associates or Cheatham Fletcher Scott Architects. Both firms are based in Augusta. The chosen architectural firm will be in charge of designing the center, which staff said will cost about $261,500 out of the approximate $3.7 million project total cost.
- The City received six bids total for this service.
- The proposal, which Council approved in January, includes a banquet room to seat 400 people, meeting rooms, a full kitchen, a community room, a music studio and permanent space for the Council on Aging, who will reportedly pay for more than $300,000 toward the construction of the Center.
- Current funds for the Center include money from Capital Project Sales Tax rounds two and three - $1 million from round two and $3.5 million from round three.
In other business, Council unanimously approved the following:
- For staff to begin improvements to the City's Administration and Finance Building, 135 Laurens Street S.W. Staff estimates the changes to the building, which will include providing visitor access to the second floor, changes to the lobby and making storm water improvements, will not exceed $85,000. Funds for these improvements will come from round three of Capital Project Sales Tax.
- The allocation of approximately $287,500 in Accommodations Tax funds to groups promoting tourism-related activities. Staff estimate the City will receive nearly $290,000 during the fiscal year 2015-2016.
- The acceptance of the Edgefield Highway Corridor Planning Study as information. The study includes 11 miles of SC-19 between Hampton Avenue and the Edgefield County line. Part of the 11 miles functions as an urban road, a rural road, an industrial road, a truck route and a bicycle and walking route.
In other business:
- Interim City Manager Roger LeDuc told Council he will bring a recommendation for the proposed hospitality tax to Council for first reading on Monday, April 13.
Read Wednesday's Aiken Standard for expanded coverage on Monday's meeting.
Maayan Schechter is the local government reporter with Aiken Standard.