Moses Lake council to decide city complex

New building hosts city hall and museum

MOSES LAKE - The Moses Lake City Council is holding a special meeting Tuesday night to decide on approval of the design for the new city complex.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the council chambers located in the Police Department and Parks and Recreation building at 401 S. Balsam St.

The approximately 41,000-square-foot building will house city hall departments and the Moses Lake Museum and Art Center. It will be placed between the Municipal Services Building and the police department along South Balsam Street.

The building is expected to cost between $8 million and $10 million and is expected to go to bid in early 2009. Included in the cost is a $1 million grant to build a new museum awarded by the Washington State Historical Society.

The structure is designed by the Miller Hull Partnership architectural firm.

The building has two above ground levels and a basement.

One side of the first floor consists of finance offices, council chambers, bathrooms, a utility bill payment area and an auditorium. The middle of the first floor is called "The Ave." and serves as a walkway separating city hall departments from the museum portion.

The museum portion, opposite the city department side, is 13,000 square feet. It features an exhibit space, office space, classroom space and storage.

The second floor only spans above the city department side of the first floor. It houses additional finance offices and office space for the mayor and city manager.

The basement features storage space, a mechanical room, shower facilities, a sickroom and an exercise space.

The building is designed to be environmentally sound.

Solar panels may be placed on the roof above the museum portion of the building. It is proposed to use local materials to construct the facility. The building is designed to heat and cool itself using natural weather during some parts of the year.