Chelan library repairs move forward after $95,000 cost reduction

CHELAN — Repairs to the Chelan Public Library building are moving forward after exploratory construction work revealed that moisture damage could be addressed for nearly $95,000 less than originally proposed, bringing the project close to its $150,000 budget and raising hopes that library services could return to the building by spring.

The Chelan City Council approved a contract with Impel Construction and an accompanying change order Oct. 27, reducing the cost of foundation repairs and moisture mitigation to $153,471.33.

City Administrator Laura McAloon said the original $248,087 bid, the only one received for the project, included substantial contingencies because the contractor could not fully assess conditions inside the building's foundation.

Rather than proceed at that price, the city authorized up to $5,000 in exploratory work, allowing Impel to open portions of the foundation and determine the extent of the damage.

That investigation revealed that some of the more extensive structural work anticipated in the original bid would not be necessary.

The resulting change order reduced the proposed construction cost by $94,728.38, leaving the project approximately $3,500 above its original budget allocation.

The repairs address moisture discovered during preparations for an interior renovation planned by NCW Libraries, which operates the library on the first floor of the city-owned building. Living Stone Church leases the second floor.

The city and NCW Libraries entered into an agreement in February 2024 to accommodate improvements to the library's interior. During preparations, the library's contractor discovered moisture in walls, floors, the basement and crawl space.

The moisture appeared to have contributed to settling or warping of existing hardwood floors, raising concerns that proceeding with new flooring and finishes could void construction warranties.

The city subsequently allocated $150,000 for repairs, but the initial bid exceeded that amount by more than $100,000.

With the exploratory work completed and the scope of repairs narrowed, McAloon told council members that exterior construction could potentially be completed this fall, depending on weather conditions. Interior foundation work would follow, with some landscaping and finishing work extending into spring.

If the schedule proceeds as anticipated, the library could return to its building by spring, although no firm completion date has been established.

The contract adjustments do not mean the city will avoid an additional budget amendment altogether.

McAloon said council should expect a request for approximately $12,000 in additional funding for the city's facilities maintenance account before the end of the year. That amount includes the library project's remaining budget difference as well as unexpected repairs to a walk-in cooler at the municipal golf course restaurant earlier in 2026.

Council members expressed support for proceeding with the repairs rather than delaying the project further.

The approved work represents another step toward restoring the building for public use after moisture problems interrupted the library's planned renovations. While the remaining schedule depends partly on winter weather, the reduced construction costs have brought the project significantly closer to the city's original financial expectations.

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