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Planning Director Patterson advised that this building was not just an office building for City employees but would be the. beginning of a true Civic Center. The plaza would be a place for outdoor gatherings and the lobby for indoor gatherings as well as the Council Chambers. The proposed City Hall is a very open and inviting structure, a community building for the people of Redwood City to use and enjoy all seven days of the week. Director Patterson presented a schedule and description of events that would occur if the Council approved the project culminating in the completion of the new City Hall in November, 1996. Director Patterson advised that notices of the City Hall move would go out in water bills, permits, available on all counter tops, press releases, a story about the project will appear in the Redwood City newsletter, and signs on the site will show where the temporary City Hall is located. Director Patterson showed slides of the proposed City Hall. Mayor Gasparini called on those members of the audience who had submitted speaker's cards. Joe Steinfeld, 850 Main Street, Redwood City, again expressed his opposition to the proposed City Hall; advised that there will be cost overruns and the final cost would be $12-$14 million; asked Council to go back to square one and redesign a less extravagant building; advised that this expenditure was fiscally irresponsible when the City could have bought the First Interstate Building for $3-$4 million and sold the current site for $2 million; money should be spent on schools rather than a new City Hall; and spending this much money on a new City Hall was a mass subsidy to the very rich. City Manager Everett stated that some of Mr. Steinfeld's information was inaccurate. Mr. Steinfeld's inappropriate comments from his seat in the audience elicited two warnings from the Mayor. Planning Director Patterson advised that the recently completed police facility had a budget of$12 million and the change orders amounted to a total of 1-2% of the total cost of the building. In response to Vice Mayor Hartnett's questions regarding why the previous Council chose to build a new City Hall rather than renovate the old one, Planning Director Patterson advised that the current City Hall suffered some serious cracks in the 1989 earthquake, and does not meet current seismic requirements. It may not fall down in an earthquake, but it wouldn't take a great deal to make it uninhabitable. Director Patterson stated that a very large piece of the ceiling plaster in the old library building fell in the day before the last election, termites are present throughout the entire building, it does not meet any of the mandatory ADA requirements, and reconstruction creates significant cost overruns because problems are not discovered until reconstruction starts. The City Hall was completed in 1939 as a WP A project. No building plans are available, it is unknown what is in, or behind the walls; but "voids" and "cold joints" have already been discovered. MINUTE BOOK NO. 53 Regular Meeting Minutes Page No. 078 February 27, 1995 Page 12