Chamber, WEDCOR moving to City Hall
By ROY CHURCH
Thursday, February 2, 2006 12:10 AM EST
City Hall has two new tenants coming in.
The Wabash Board of Public Works & Safety Wednesday approved leases with the Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce and the Wabash County Economic Development Corporation to move into offices on the second floor of City Hall.
 |
| Dave Wagmer of Quality Electric drills holes for electrical wiring at Wabash City Hall. Plain Dealer photo by GREG DANNACHER
|
A third renter is being sought by city officials to help the other two with utilities.
Mayor Bob Vanlandingham said Wednesday that Wabash County United Fund and Wabash Marketplace Inc. had been contacted.
According to the leases, WEDCOR and the Chamber will pay all the utilities for City Hall until the cost of renovating the second floor is paid off. If a third renter is found, the utilities will be split three ways.
Vanlandingham said the renovations are expected to cost about $75,000. He added $40,000 of that came from this year's pledge to WEDCOR and $20,000 came from savings on the new roof for City Hall.
The upstairs had consisted of an office, a storage room and a big open area that had been used by city firemen for paramedic training and, most recently, the American Red Cross for training sessions.
B&B Builders, owned by firemen Kevin Bussard and Bryan Beeks, is the con-
struction company, but got a big hand from the Wabash Street Department in tearing out the old walls.
“Those guys saved us a lot of money,” Vanlandingham said.
Planned for the second floor are three offices, a large reception area in the center to be shared by the three renters, a large conference room and a break room.
The city also plans to put in an elevator just inside the front door to make the second floor offices handicapped accessible. That project is expected to be done by mid-summer.
Vanlandingham said it is expected to have the project paid off in five years. At that point, the two or three renters would only be responsible for their own utilities.
Kim Pinkerton, president of the Wabash Chamber, said the move is going to “save us a huge amount of money.”
“It's a win-win situation,” she added. “The city, the Chamber and WEDCOR all work very closely together.”
Vanlandingham said he was “excited” to finally see the lease agreements on the agenda.
“You envision something and work to make it happen. When it becomes a reality, it's a great feeling.
“I'm ecstatic. We have two quality organizations coming in and we're looking forward to it.”
Ms. Pinkerton said the Chamber is hoping to be in business at City Hall by April 1.
In other business, the board approved hiring Marianne Price as deputy clerk-treasurer and Matt Long as a probationary fireman.
It also accepted a $500 bid from Ronnie Warren to purchase a vacant lot at 51 E. Main St.
Print this story | Email this story
|
