Chelan library renovation paused after crews uncover long-term water damage

CHELAN — Renovation work at the Chelan library on Emerson Street has been paused after crews uncovered long-term water damage inside the nearly 100-year-old building, prompting the city and North Central Washington Libraries to reassess the project before construction continues.

The discovery came after NCW Libraries began interior remodeling work this fall, a project that initially focused on cosmetic updates such as paint and flooring. As contractors opened walls and began reconfiguring parts of the building, they found evidence of prolonged water intrusion affecting structural components near the foundation.

“What we found is that this isn’t something we want to build over,” said Chad Coltman, the city’s HR and communications director, in a presentation to the Chelan City Council Tuesday night. “If we continue without addressing it, there’s a real risk that remediation work later would undo the improvements being made now.”

Coltman said the exterior grade around the building sits several inches above the stem wall, allowing water to collect along the foundation. Over time, that moisture has deteriorated the ends of floor joists and the wall sill plates that support the structure. In addition, moisture-saturated soil has been pressing directly against the building’s stucco exterior.

A dehumidifier has been running continuously in the basement, but Coltman said it has not been able to keep up with the amount of moisture entering the space.

“It’s not that the building is unsafe,” Coltman told council. “But if this is left unchecked, it will continue to deteriorate and cause more problems.”

Because time is a factor in keeping the library project moving, the city will work jointly with NCW Libraries and Wenatchee-based Forte Architects, the firm already designing the library remodel. Rather than launching a separate procurement process, the city will piggyback on the existing contract so Forte can develop a full scope of work for the remediation and prepare bid documents for the repairs.

On Tuesday, the council approved an addendum to the existing memorandum of understanding with NCW Libraries, authorizing up to $20,000 for architectural and engineering work to define the repair plan. The amount will serve as a not-to-exceed figure unless council approves further work.

“That gives us a finite number before we take another look at it,” Coltman told council.

The cost of the actual construction work has not yet been determined and will depend on what is uncovered during the assessment. Coltman said he had spoken earlier in the day with State Rep. Mike Steele of the 12th District and was optimistic some of the design or remediation work could be eligible for grant reimbursement.

The building, which last underwent major interior work roughly a decade ago, will remain in a holding pattern until the scope of repairs is defined and a plan is brought back to the council.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media