The Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Commission has endorsed scaling back the footprint of the planned multipurpose building on the Lincoln University campus to address budget concerns.
At the commission meeting Tuesday, commissioners unanimously approved a change to the building's proposed footprint, which scaled the facility back from 90,000 square feet to approximately 79,000 square feet. Cary Gampher, with Architects Alliance, said the cost estimates had risen above the available funds for the project, so the design was scaled back, trimming the square footage of the basement, taking out one classroom and an outdoor deck from the second floor, trimming office space and slightly reducing the overall gym space on the main floor.
Last year, the commission authorized department staff to pursue a potential collaboration with LU on the proposed multipurpose building, now being called the community wellness and recreation center, where it would operate as both a multipurpose facility and a student recreational facility on Lafayette Street.
Between LU and the parks commission, $10.1 million is available for the collaborative project. Anticipating that would not be enough for a facility with four courts and an elevated walking track, the City Council approved a $1.5 million line of credit in December at the commission's request.
Gampher said by trimming the overall square footage, the estimated cost of building the facility is now $11.4 million to $13.6 million, which still leaves a potential funding gap of up to $2 million. Gampher specified all cost estimates are subject to change as the engineers have not yet analyzed the current estimates.
Gampher also specified the project is still able to get started before winter and they still plan to have it open by fall 2016.
Sheila Gassner, LU's facilities, design and construction director, said the university is agreeable to reducing the overall footprint of the building.