LOUISVILLE, May 1, 2018 — The ongoing national debate over infrastructure conditions involves airports, railways, roads, bridges, water systems, etc. But the nation’s social infrastructure—its public buildings—has been mostly left out of the conversation and are critical to the safety, security and vibrancy of cities and communities. Sadly, inadequate funding often results in years of deferred maintenance, patchwork repairs and less usable facilities.
At today’s Louisville Metro Government Council Budget Meeting, EOP partners Rick Ekhoff and Richard Polk presented results from a comprehensive facility analysis of the LMPD Headquarters Building and the Fiscal Court Building. The 200-page report noted deficiencies in both buildings, analyzed market conditions and presented conclusions and recommendations. The EOP analysis found that both buildings violate current codes and standards and have significant concerns, including structural stress fractures and failing stone and masonry veneers. And as WHAS-11 in Louisville reports, the “experts suggest demolition of LMPD Headquarters and the old Fiscal Court Building.”
EOP recommended that based on the best use for the property locations and prudent use of funds, both buildings should be demolished and replaced with new construction. EOP also recommended that Louisville Metro Government seriously consider a public-private partnership (P3) in which the city teams with a private developer to design, finance, construct and manage the building.
Budget Committee Chair and Councilman Bill Hollander said, “We were actually told last year that facilities [Facilities Management & Fleet Operations] did not recommend we invest a dime into those buildings because they were pretty much past the point of being salvaged.”
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