Stay updated with breaking news from Caius jennison. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Galesburg Council heard a presentation on Monday that showed sketches of what a community center could look like at four different sites, as well as what each would cost. Caius Jennison with Farnsworth Group presented his findings after studying Churchill Junior High, the Hawthorn Pool/Gym Facility, the current Galesburg Public Library, and Gunther Construction. Jennison met with each Council member before the study, allowing them to talk about their priorities for a community center. From there he distilled that into a template, as a model to test against different potential sites. That model included 11,000 sq. ft of community space including a reception and resource center, two classrooms, a teaching kitchen, a teen center, a computer lab, office space, and storage. It also includes an event room that could fit 200 people and a single-court gym. A community room that could fit about 200 people, and a single basketball court gym is also part of the model. The Gunther site is the most expensive, mainly because it would mean all new construction. But it's also the most centrally located, and holds the most flexibility. It's just to the east of the Discovery Depot and is accessed from Mulberry St. The existing library also is instantly recognizable to the public. Jennison says there is ample space and all the building's space wouldn't even be used. Renovation to the library would mean a lot of tearing out walls and putting plumbing in. The issues with the library are low ceilings, inadequate parking, and no possibility of a gym. Hawthorne has an existing gym and pool, and they examined what it would take to add on a community center. One of the main sticking points is it's not centrally located and the city would likely need to figure out some sort of transportation program. Then there's Churchill Junior High. The city owned-building is 90,000 sq. ft and the community center model is less than a quarter that. Farnsworth says that Churchill doesn't need a lot of remodeling but there are lots of expensive repairs needed like a new boiler and new roof. The overall costs of each renovation are as follows; $8.17 million for the Gunther site, $6 million for Churchill, $5.9 million for Hawthorn, and $4.9 for the library. The council is going to consider the information they received and is expected to indicate the site they would like to pursue by the end of the week.
Galesburg City Council on Monday, May 16th authorized submitting a grant application that if approved could land a $45 million investment in the Galesburg Business Park. The developer wants to construct a loop track and related infrastructure for an ag/rail-related endeavor. The city would operate as a pass-through entity for half of the project cost which if approved would come from U.S. Department of Transportation grants. Interim City Manager Wayne Carl said that if this project came to fruition it would also increase the chances of other businesses using the park. Carl says the developer wants to develop 80 acres with up to 130 acres. The entire business park is 330 acres. Aldermen also approved Gunther Construction as the contractor to resurface areas of the deteriorated asphalt surface and replace sidewalk curb ramps. $700,000 from the motor fuel tax fund paid for the cost. Interim City Manager Wayne Carl explained that $200,000 more than last year was budgeted for this work and due to rising costs, the bids were still over budget. Aldermen again tabled a contract with a firm that would assist the city to prepare a community center master plan. Caius Jennison with Farnsworth Group was there to answer questions from the council. He explained that he was there to "help the council" make the process what they want it to be. Jennison says the planning involves meeting with each council member individually to build a concept of programming and from there test fit that program into different sites. Farnsworth would have an early focus on test fitting to Churchill but the plan could easily evolve as the process moves on. They could also include a component of public engagement including focus groups. Once the process begins, Jennison says it would take around 6 weeks to complete. Councilmember Dwight White made a motion to table the decision on hiring Farnsworth Group until June 20th. A vote of 4-2 approved tabling the contract until then.