MASON CITY – The Mason City council will consider on Tuesday night the first construction change order presented to them on the multi-use arena project, costing over $152,000.
City administrator Aaron Burnett is recommending approval of a change order (#1) for the Multi-Purpose Arena project now underway at Southbridge Mall.
According to city documents, prior to work starting on the arena, soil borings were completed and the elevation of rock was estimated based off the data collected. Unfortunately, the elevation of rock was slightly higher and more removal of rock was required to achieve the proper depth for the floor. Rock was known to be an issue and the design was modified once early in the process to go higher rather than deeper into the ground due to this issue. Further modifications by ICON Architects have kept this cost to $152,530 rather than experiencing the higher potential costs for rock removal. A few other small change order items are included on the breakout related to site work required to facilitate construction on the site.
The project is currently budgeted and the change order is within the contingency, the city says. The arena is supposed to open by late in the year.
You shunned industry, which kept this City alive for over 100 years. Now there is nothing substantial to take its place.
You put your money in Retail. But now Retail is faltering left and right, leaving vacant storefronts and a half empty mall.
You coddle polluters, ignoring their illegal dumps in direct violation of City code. So the State DNR had to come in and cease their operations.
You allow commercial activity in residential properties, oblivious to its operations, and potential pollution. So again, the State DNR has to be called in.
Exactly where is the City Leadership in Mason City? Are they acting for the good of its citizens, or for the few who wield influence?
Where was the City Leadership when residents needed their properties protected from a few looking to exploit our neighborhoods, debasing our property values?
Abandoned buildings are beginning to sprout up like dandelions in Spring. All we get from City Leadership is “we are working on it”, but nothing is said concrete. In the meantime, squatters invade those buildings.
City Leadership unrealistically thinks, that a River-walk in Mason City can somehow eclipse the billion dollar district in San Antonio.
Statues downtown will not solve the problems we have. To believe they could have any impact on the reasons Mason City continues to lose population, is nonsensical. Yet City Leadership still gives the project tax revenues and support.
City Leadership proposes to increase its support of an entity by $23,000 this year, when it has shown no meaningful results in so many years past.
City Leadership proposes a new apartment complex south of the almost dormant mall, targeted to those who make more than the median income. Yet, there are not the jobs in the community that would provide that kind of income. Just who will rent those apartments given the population is shrinking?
Leadership in our community should focus on ALL the citizens who live here, not just those who they rub elbows with, and open their pocketbooks for another election cycle.
SATURDAY 4-13-19…
change order, first of many to come.
Bottom Line: There are zero business minds on our council, it’s like asking my dentists to fix my car.
Vacancies everywhere: due to realtor overpricing and property owners asking Disney World rents. Let’s call manure, manure. This is a hockey arena passed off as a multi-plex. It was the hockey association that leaned on and pushed this through. This leaves yet another vacant building at the fairgrounds. This is not a concert venue from an echo standpoint alone, let alone rider issues. The building has serious plumbing and roof issues that will escalate.
Mason City is way over the majority of 62 years old. It IS a retirement town that tried the service industry to fail, and the retail industry to fail. Brick and mortar are dead, only a few that refuse to believe it remains. Reminds me of the newspaper, old news. Mason City businesses people refuse to get involved because the town is split on their feelings, this would alienate their clientele. Smart. It would. When tennis courts are replaced with pickleball, we are a retirement town. Every project raises our taxes, whether they tell us up front or not. The city will eventually own this facility due to bills not met. Everyone needs to look at the contract the city agreed to with the hockey people, what a scam. Here is what we all get: a pretty building, that houses the same hockey people as the fairgrounds, but now YOUR paying for it.
Anon, you and the 5:42pm commenter are spot on! Realize , now that the owns an ice arena that it really doesn’t own, we will be providing tax payer subsidized hockey. It may even actually operate in the black for the first time. All thanks to property tax evaluations that are now higher than market value (for many). Our city leaders should be likened to Gen. George Armstrong Custer!
Trying to revitalize Mason City is like watering a dead flower. It accomplishes nothing.
The future “IS” predictable……just look at the past! Mason City taxpayers continue being raped by elected thieves!
Burnett will spend all of OUR money and when the money pit is empty he will move on to spend someother towns money til its gone, and the cycle starts all over
Bend over and take it Mc
You shunned industry, which kept this City alive for over 100 years. Now there is nothing substantial to take its place.
You put your money in Retail. But now Retail is faltering left and right, leaving vacant storefronts and a half empty mall.
You coddle polluters, ignoring their illegal dumps in direct violation of City code. So the State DNR had to come in and cease their operations.
You allow commercial activity in residential properties, oblivious to its operations, and potential pollution. So again, the State DNR has to be called in.
Exactly where is the City Leadership in Mason City? Are they acting for the good of its citizens, or for the few who wield influence?
Where was the City Leadership when residents needed their properties protected from a few looking to exploit our neighborhoods, debasing our property values?
Abandoned buildings are beginning to sprout up like dandelions in Spring. All we get from City Leadership is “we are working on it”, but nothing is said concrete. In the meantime, squatters invade those buildings.
City Leadership unrealistically thinks, that a River-walk in Mason City can somehow eclipse the billion dollar district in San Antonio.
Statues downtown will not solve the problems we have. To believe they could have any impact on the reasons Mason City continues to lose population, is nonsensical. Yet City Leadership still gives the project tax revenues and support.
City Leadership proposes to increase its support of an entity by $23,000 this year, when it has shown no meaningful results in so many years past.
City Leadership proposes a new apartment complex south of the almost dormant mall, targeted to those who make more than the median income. Yet, there are not the jobs in the community that would provide that kind of income. Just who will rent those apartments given the population is shrinking?
Leadership in our community should focus on ALL the citizens who live here, not just those who they rub elbows with, and open their pocketbooks for another election cycle……
Cha ching!
this place is going to pay for itself and revitalize downtown mason city! also upon its completion unicorns are going to sprout wings and fly around town farting gold and diamonds while the sky rains champagne and everyones hopes and dreams come true. which part of that seems more fictitious?
Here we go. Now it starts. It just show the ineptitude of the engineers and the city council for taking on a project without knowing the scope of the work. It reminds me of when they redid Central Park and took a 1/2 million dollar project to a million dollars. Stop it now or it will grow to millions of dollars.