During last week’s city council meeting, the council approved architectural plans for the planned remodel of the Co-op building.  The building, which has largely been closed (outside of occasional events such as the History and Art Walk, and the Welsh Festival) for a number of years, has been slated to become a new focal point for city government and business.  While there is an existing pool of money that has been raised through donations in place to begin the process, grants for city infrastructure will most likely become the primary source of funding.  The city’s recent sale of property to Diamond Ridge also provides at least a potential source of some funding if the city council decides to use any of it for that purpose. 

The process of turning the building into a usable space will be a long and complex one.  The city’s first concern is in restoring the exterior of the building, which is extremely weathered.  In order to repaint the surface, a professional test of the bricks and existing paint will need to be performed to determine the best approach.  High pressure washing, for instance, will almost certainly not be possible on the surface in its current condition.  The council approved $2,500 for an initial test of the building’s exterior during its last meeting.  Following the test, painting itself will require a significant expense of time and resources.  Again, this sort of project is likely to fall under an existing grant.

After the building is updated in its outward appearance, a number of substantial internal improvements will need to be made.  Of primary importance to the integrity of the building itself are lighting and plumbing.  As the current infrastructure is outdated and not up to current code, the “guts” of the building will need a great deal of work.  In addition to those basic elements, the Co-op will also need an ADA compliant elevator, since the building will function as an official governmental facility.

The plans for the building include a much larger space for city council chambers.  Presently, the city hall has limited space for events such as public hearings.  In fact, public hearings have been moved to the Event Center several times in the last few months in anticipation of crowded hearings.  While the Event Center has been a good short-term solution, the fact is that it is a popular venue.  During the summer, the courthouse will be undergoing its own renovation to update the elevator, and the Event Center will be the temporary home of the courts, further putting a strain on the available alternatives for public meetings.

The plans also included expanded city offices, a visitor’s center, meeting room space, and leasable office space on the second floor.  There are some discussions about opening up leasable space to retail entities, such as a gift shop, coffee shop, or café as well.  The expanded space will also create the potential for many other public and civic events to be hosted in a central location throughout the year, as well as events which might be held in leasable/rentable space in the building.

While the project will undoubtedly take place over an extended period of time, the initial steps have been taken to move it forward.  If the reality follows from the plans so far outlined, it should lead to a modern and professional space that manages to retain the important history of Main Street and Malad itself.