BY REBECCA BENNETT — The Hyattsville City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 21 to approve no more than $3.3 million to renovate the Department of Public Works (DPW). All of the proposals came in more than $1 million over the original $2 million budgeted in Capital Improvement Plan for FY2016, a city memo said.
“The original projections were based on a 2013 consultant study and did not include the costs for design, engineering and on-site management,” a city memo said. “In addition, it did not account for the rapid rise in construction and material costs and the new stormwater management regulatory guidance.”
City Administrator Tracey Nicholson said the city found Bignall, Watkins, Hasser, Architects to be the best value out of the proposals received.
“The costs for stormwater, environmental design, and passive energy can be defrayed by applying for county, federal, and non-profit grants. The city intends to take full advantage of these grant opportunities for stormwater mitigation and sustainable energy sources,” a city memo said.
“… While I’m disappointed that the costs of this project are going to overrun, it’s necessary,” Councilmember Patrick Paschall (Ward 3) said. “I’m convinced staff has put in proceeds to identify and prevent this kind of thing from happening again in the future.”
