When city officials began the process of resealing and adding a top coat to the Columbus Avenue parking garage, they found the structure was much worse than expected. The resealing has been delayed.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council isn't authorizing any funds to fix the Columbus Avenue garage until councilors know if it is salvageable.

 

The city closed off the upper floor of the garage after finding the support beams compromised. In 2013, the city eyed spending $160,000 to reseal the upper floor to extend the life of the parking garage a little longer. 

 

But, "when we did the assessment of the garage, there were more problems than just the coating," according to Director of Building Maintenance Peter Sondrini.  

 

The study showed that the beams were rotating and tearing away from the supports. To avoid any more damage, the city closed off the upper level — eliminating 156 spaces. Meanwhile, the state has a $6 million borrowing authority to fix the garage and officials are hoping for that to be released.

 

Sondrini on Tuesday asked the council for that initial $160,000 to do a structural engineering assessment to find out exactly what needs to be repaired and how much it will cost. That assessment is estimated to cost about $10,000 and the rest would be put toward the repairs, Sondrini said.

 

"Right now we are holding out on the coating and repurposing that money," Sondrini said.

 

However, Sondrini says more information is expected from the condition report that discovered the issues, which will help in moving forward with the engineering.

 

"The repairs, I believe, would exceed this number. We'll exceed that $160,000. I don't know what the design will be but I know the structural analysis will be $10,000," Sondrini said.

 

The City Council tabled the request — opting not to send it to the committee level in hopes to expedite the process as more information comes in. 

 

"Let's find out if it is salvageable first before we authorize 160 grand," Councilor at Large Barry Clairmont said.

 

Ward 6 Councilor John Krol said he wants to have a much better understanding of how that money is going to be repurposed.

 

"We allocated $160,000 for a specific purpose and we don't know how much will be converted for this use," Krol said.

 

In other business, the City Council continued a public hearing regarding a proposed Big Y express. The company is hoping to build a 1,500 square-foot building and 12 gas pumps on a parcel behind the existing supermarket. Despite having a representative from a neighboring parcel speaking in favor of the project, the council still wanted to hear more from the Community Development Board.

 

That board granted the site plan approval, a type of authorization that allows for less discretion among board members. But, because the project is in the newly created arts overlay district, the proponents will need a special permit, an authorization allowing the board to add conditions.

 

The City Council will now wait for a ruling from the Community Development Board on that.

 

Further, another hitch was presented with Big Y officials being seemingly unaware of new tobacco regulations that limits the number of permits issued. If the company is unable to obtain a license, the project could be threatened.

 

Also on Tuesday, Clairmont — utilizing the open microphone period of the agenda — said he has agreed to delaying his request of the mayor to make a presentation to the council on an executive decision to move inspection services to 100 North St.

 

Clairmont said the mayor had asked for an extension and then the two began a dispute over public records, then he wanted an extension. Clairmont says he expects a presentation in October.