Rain damage required $275,683 in fixes at Cedar Rapids City Services Center

CEDAR RAPIDS - The final tally is in.

A 5-inch downpour last April 13 during construction of the garage shop area of the City Services Center added more than a quarter-million dollars of extra expense to the $36 million-plus project.

The heavy rain hit on a Sunday at a point when some prefabricated concrete walls had been put in place, but the roof had not been.

A check of the construction site after the rain by contractor Miron Construction Co. revealed some footings had settled by an unacceptable amount. As a result, about 15 of the building's prefabricated concrete panels needed to be disassembled and some foundations removed and replaced, the city has said.

The Public Works Department's Craig Hanson on Friday said the project change orders approved by the City Council for repair work have come to a total of $275,683.

Hanson said contingency money in the project budget has been sufficient to cover the unexpected cost.

The City Services Center at 500 15th Ave. SW has replaced the former Public Works Facility, which sustained damage in the Flood of 2008 and sat on the same site.

City employees occupied the office portion of the new building in September 2013 and the garage/shop area by last October.

About 380 city employees work at or out of the building.