MASON CITY – An unexpected basement found beneath a building being demolished in Mason City will cost the city thousands of extra dollars to have removed.
According to a city hall memo, as 217 2nd Street SW was being demolished by McKiness Excavating, the contractor uncovered what turned out to be an “unknown full basement” beneath a slab. The memo states that the basement has “apparently been left in place following the demolition of the building once located on that site (just adjacent to 217 2nd St. SW.)
“An immediate decision was made to to keep the demolition project moving forward,” the memo states. “The removal of debris involved several loads to the landfill. The total cost of the change order is $12,793.65.”
According to a price list from McKiness, the largest cost involved in removing the basement was filling the basement with clay fill. That cost was $6,660.
City Administrator Brent Trout is recommending approval of this cost to the city council. The council will consider the change order at Tuesday night’s regular meeting.
The project is not budgeted. It is being funded through the use of Tax Increment Financing funds secured from the valuation of the Community Growth TIF District.
