Vienna Town Hall First Floor Renovation Heading To Design

VIENNA, VA — In Vienna Town Council's first meeting in over a month, one of the approved items was a design contract to renovate Town Hall's first floor.

The $337,500 contract to Dewberry Architects covers design and post-construction services for the first floor renovation. The renovation was first identified as a use of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. According to Town Council project, the renovation project selection and eligibility for American Rescue Plan Act was due to "poor arrangement of staff workstations, realignment of staff functions, and addition of new staff such as the Economic Development Department added in 2019."

After a feasibility study was completed, Town Council voted in February to move forward with just the first floor renovations due to funding limitations.

"I would say overall, on the first floor, according to the results of the feasibility study, we have about a 20 percent space deficit, how it's currently configured," said Brad Baer, public works director for the Town of Vienna. "But there's pockets of larger space deficit in some areas. Nobody has more space than they need. You know, some people have just enough."

Baer said the "the intent of the project is [to] refresh and reconfigure the spaces on the first floor" and may a code review and electrical and mechanical modifications. The town isn't planning to update HVAC or windows during the first floor renovation. A phased construction plan with alternative work locations will likely occur, but Baer said the town will maintain continuity of services to the public on the first floor.

The town put out a request for proposals, and nine design firms submitted proposals. Three finalists did interviews, and Dewberry was selected after having the highest-scoring presentation and project team, according to Baer.

The public works director said the overall project is budgeted for over a million dollars, but he believes that is an underestimate.

"I believe this to be low. That's only $200 a square foot. We have about 5,000 square foot on the first floor of employee spaces with 35 employees," said Baer. "My experience, renovation costs of this kind are typically anywhere from $300, $600, I've seen them at $750, but those have required exterior repairs on the high end. So even at $300 that's a $1.5 million renovation."

The project's design phase could start in September and continue to the spring, according to Baer.