Alachua’s Old Theatre Park repairs upped to $40,603

Saving a local landmark will cost nearly $10,000 more than originally estimated.  Alan Hitchcock Park, commonly known as the Old Theatre Park, on Alachua’s Main Street has been closed since March 14, shortly after City of Alachua officials learned of structural concerns.

Those concerns focused on loose bricks in the archways, which remain from the original building.  Temporary scaffolding had been installed at the entry to the park so pedestrian traffic could continue on the sidewalk alongside the park.

The Theater Park renovations were considered an urgent matter by the city commission and in April, commissioners accepted a proposal from Stitchcrete LLC, located out of Newberry, authorizing a purchase order in an amount not to exceed $32,000.  The original purchase order fell under the price ceiling and came in at $30,803, and Stitchcrete began working on the project immediately.

Alachua City Manager Traci Cain said the initial repairs would be paid through the city’s Downtown Redevelopment Trust Board (DRTB) Capital Outlay Budget.

“The DRTB initiated discussions regarding renovations,” Cain said. “The city moved forward with the project at the commission level due to the exigent circumstances surrounding the structural nature of the building.”

Upon further examination of the structural condition of the east wall, Driscoll Engineering, the project engineering firm, determined that additional repairs would be required to guarantee the east wall of the park was indeed structurally sound. For safety purposes, two new columns had to be formed, and reinforced fiberglass rods were assembled. The additional repairs amounted to $9,800, bringing the completed project cost to $40,603.  Cain said the new proposal was evaluated and deemed fair according to the amount of work needed.

Monday night the Alachua City Commission approved the additional $9,800 to cover the increased repair cost to complete the project.  The additional costs will also be paid by the DRTB.