Moses Lake supports new city complex

Two-story building features museum

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake City Council unanimously voiced their support for initial ideas for designs of a new city services complex Tuesday night.

The new complex will be built between the Moses Lake Police Department and City Hall on South Balsam Street, City Manager Joe Gavinski said. The building location is the same area where the old Moses Lake Fire Department used to be.

The building is expected to cost between $8 million and $10 million and the project is slated to go to bid in early 2009, Gavinski said. The cost includes a $1 million grant to build a new museum and arts center awarded from the Washington State Historical Society.

The project is funded through accumulated property tax, sales tax and internal city funds.

The approximately 41,000-square-foot-building includes two stories and a basement, said Bob Hull of the Miller Hull Partnership architecture firm. Hull assisted in designing the environmentally conscious building.

The basement area is used primarily for storage, he said.

The first floor is separated in the middle by an open area referred to as the "Ave," Hull said. The Ave is an open walkway extending through the entire building.

On one side of the building is the area designated for the museum space, he said. The space features an exhibit area, museum store, classroom, museum administration office and storage.

Opposite to the museum space is the city hall portion, Hull said. It features an auditorium capable of seating approximately 200 people, council chambers capable of seating approximately 140 people, finance department offices, executive session meeting room, break room, cafe, mailroom and bathrooms.

The third story is approximately half the size of the first story and sits upon the city hall portion of the building, he said. The second story features additional municipal offices. The offices include the mayor's office, the city manager's office, the city attorney's office, the human resources director's office and additional finance offices, Hull said.

The $1 million grant awarded for the construction of a new museum building came with several environmental stipulations dictating how the building can be constructed, he said. Portions of the building are made from recycled materials. Wood materials are sought from forests planted for harvest to avoid disrupting native forests, Hull said. The building will partially use natural weather conditions for heating and cooling purposes. Photovoltaic solar panels will be installed to increase energy efficiency along with solar powered fans for circulation. To reduce transportation impacts, materials are expected to be used from within a 500-mile radius of the project.

Councilmember Jim Liebrecht was absent from the meeting.