Prime rib or baloney?

The editorial in the Nov. 2, Gazette stinks. If you are going to promote a position, do so only if you know something about the subject.

Said editorial states the cost to save West Ward would be $2,500,000. An article on Oct. 27, said the cost would be $2,251,000. (typical goverment project, cost went up 10 percent in 6 days) The Nov. 1, editorial says the building is 95 years old ... Gee on 10/27 it was only 84. So much for your paper's creditability on this subject.

As penance, I would hope you would give those who want to save West Ward a full page to make their case, like you gave the city in the Oct. 27 paper.

In the 20 plus years I spent in mortgage banking I saw hundreds of "feasibility studies."

They all made the case that reflected the client's views ... I never saw one that told the client "you are out of your ever lovin' mind."

The study was done by a firm who does a lot of business with the city and would make a lot more loot being involved in a totally new building, Hm-mm

Of the rehab costs I see only $90,000 that you would not have in a new building, ($30,000 interior wall demolition, $60,000 in asbestos remediation). Fixing the exterior walls at $35,000 is at least $50,000 less than new walls for a 16,500 square foot building, interior floor repairs and finish, $105,000 is less than new floors from scratch (I.E. 16,500 of prep and concrete at $4 square foot = $66,000, 10,000 square foot of floor coverings at $8 =$80,000). Floor rehab would be approximately $40,000 less than new.

It would appear rehab would cost $130,000 less than their $2,251,000 estimate. A few bucks could probably be shaved from the $450,000 main entry addition, Wow, $450,000, that's almost 25 percent of their estimate for a 16,500 square foot building ... lose the gold door knobs.

The city claims the new facility would cost $1,892,000. If we deduct $80,000 site work that puts the cost of the building at $1,812,000. That, my fellow victims, is only $110 per square foot.

The cost of an average home is about $100 a square foot. Unless they use slave labor and steal a lot of materials, there is no way to build a commercial building for $110. Even a conservative estimate of $150 would put the cost at $2,475,000.

Realizing government officials, architects and engineers like to build monuments to themselves with other peoples' money, it would not surprise me to see the eventual cost at $3,000,000 for a new facility.

The photos in the Oct. 27 article we obviously meant to startle us. All the things shown would be corrected with rehab. Don't suppose they were trying to sell us, do you? A few of us know the difference between baloney and prime-rib.

If rehab doesn't make sense, why did the city get behind the Keystone project (a decision I applaud)? They did the right thing then.

Why not on West Ward?

'nuff said,

Bill Frasier

McCook