Cost for fairgrounds ag building upgrades higher than expected
MOSES LAKE — Refurbishing the agriculture building at the Grant County Fairgrounds will cost $40,000 to $45,000 more than expected, but officials have said funds are available in the budget.
As part of the upgrades, the building on Airway Drive is having a heating-cooling system installed, and Tom Gaines, Grant County’s director of central services, said Nov. 24, bids for the ductwork were higher than expected.
The building also required some upgrades to its electrical system, including the installation of a new transformer, Gaines said. The work also uncovered a flooding issue. Those problems have been fixed, Gaines said, but they added some unexpected costs.
The original project budget was $130,000, Gaines said. The final cost is projected from $170,000 to $175,000, but Gaines said there are funds in the fairgrounds budget to cover the cost overrun.
The ag building dates to the 1960s, and was an uninsulated metal shell with roll-up doors.
As part of the upgrades this year, the exterior was repaired and made weathertight. Insulation was added to the interior and the old roll-up doors were replaced with standard doors. The front facade was covered with plaster and faux brick inserts to match the front of neighboring buildings.
Fairgrounds manager Jim McKiernan said Nov. 30 that the interior also will get new lights. The lower portion of the interior walls will be covered with tongue-and-groove paneling. Installation of the paneling and ductwork, then the heating-cooling system, are the next steps.
The building should be ready for rental by March, McKiernan said. Fairgrounds officials don’t expect to host a lot of events in the first quarter of 2021, he said, but do expect events to increase in the second quarter.
