CHAGRIN FALLS -- Constructing a new Solon Road police station would cost about $1 million less than retrofitting a downtown building or revamping and expanding the current station, according to a study released last week.

CT Consultants evaluated three different potential designs for a new police station. The village has a bond issue to pay for the Solon Road facility on the Sept. 7 ballot, but the study was done to analyze two alternate proposals.

A 15 percent increase on the construction costs should be added to the estimated construction costs for the East and West Washington sites due to the dense urban construction environment, said Village Engineer Tim Lannon.

“When the expected acquisition cost of $1.2 million is factored in the East Washington site, and an urban construction premium is factored into the East and West Washington Street sites, it is apparent that the Solon road site is the most cost effective site by about $1 million,” he said in a written report to the village.

Cost estimates were provided by the CT Consultants study. They do not include costs for equipment relocation, temporary facilities for police, additional costs for working in a dense urban environment, street closings, premium pay rates for evening/weekend work, inflation, building purchase price and other factors including building acquisition costs.

Resident and architect Henry Piper, who submitted the conceptual designs for both Washington Street sites, took issue with some numbers in the study.

“It just seems to me that these numbers that you’ve prepared are slightly skewed, if you will, in favor of the Solon Road site,” he said during Monday’s Village Council meeting, in which the study was discussed.

Piper also brought up the fact he does not think the Solon Road site is a clean site and it would cost the village money to remediate that.

But Lannon said contamination levels are low enough to easily be dealt with and associated costs have been included in the cost estimates.

A study done by EDP Consultants, also released this month, was done to analyze soil and groundwater at the Solon Road site.

Samples taken did contain concentrations of cadmium and lead above drinking water standards, according to the study, but it is suspected those metals are from soil particles within the sample and are not an indication of metals dissolved in the groundwater.

“The regulators have determined that the concentrations of petroleum in the soil would not present an unacceptable risk to the occupants of a building built over this area,” the study states. It also said since the village has its own water system this groundwater would not be used for drinking anyway.

The contaminants encountered in the soil and groundwater are not uncommon at maintenance facilities like the Solon Road site, according to the study.

Monday, council also passed a resolution declaring public safety a top priority and urging residents to vote “Yes” on Issue 2, the police station bond issue.

The measure passed with Councilman Rick Subel casting the lone “nay” vote.

In September, voters here will see a $3.9 million bond issue that would pay to build the new Solon Road station. Similar bond issues have twice failed, but in 2009, residents approved a .60-mill operating levy to pay for the new station once it is built.

Issue 2 would cost homeowners $4.08 per month for 25 years per $100,000 of valuation on a house. This would generate about $280,000 annually to pay the bond’s principal and interest.

Click here: chagrinPolice.pdffor a comparison of the three police station design proposals.

Contact Betz at (216) 986-5867 or [email protected]