City will spend more to repair the Civic Arts Plaza

The Civic Arts Plaza rehabilitation will continue since the City Council unanimously approved a contract for $245,000 for more structural repairs on the facility.

After the CAP was built, the city began identifying defects; it was determined that needed repairs included work on windows, roofing, decking systems and other places where water was leaking into the building. The city also needed to fix the paint, planter and reflection pool waterproofing. The bill for the initial work came to about $4.7 million.

In May 2004, the council approved money for additional investigation and discovered more needs for repairs due to water leaks, budgeting another $5 million. Windows, decktowall connections, a structural column at the northwest stairwell, a seismic joint and the roof of the Kavli Theatre have been replaced.

These were all structural items that had to be taken care of, Mayor Tom Glancy said.

Early in 2008, a plaster soffit- a piece of the building under a concrete bridge- fell off. No one was injured, but after further investigation it was found that the design of the seismic connection between the bridge and the City Hall structure was faulty.

"The way the bridge was connected to the building wasn't done right," facilities manager Elizabeth Perez said, and there was no simple fix.

While repairs were being completed on the Kavli roof, other problems surfaced.

A complete replacement of the mechanical well roofing, additional drains, bird deterrent netting and spikes, and new structural supports for mechanical water lines, which Perez said were installed incorrectly and showing signs of deterioration, were also necessary.

"We discover things as we go," Perez said.

Since the bridge and roof repairs weren't identified in the original scope of work for the CAP rehabilitation project, the council had to authorize them.

The items were included in the consent calendar, which is usually approved without discussion.

The consent calendar passed unanimously.

Perez predicted the Civic Arts Plaza repairs would be completed by spring.

"Unless we find something else," she added.