COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The City of Coldwater’s Downtown Development Authority Board passed a pair of resolutions during a special Tuesday night meeting which approved bids for exterior maintenance work and architectural renderings to the Taylor’s Stationers building at 60 West Chicago which has been empty for nearly six years.
The work will be performed in anticipation of the Children’s Museum of Branch County moving into the building.
Economic Development Coordinator Audrey Tappenden said in a letter to the D.D.A. Board that several items of work need to be performed within the year to the outside of the building.
She said tuck pointing, the removal of flaking paint and that reapplication of appropriate coatings are urgent priorities.
The board approved a staff recommended quote of just under $49,000 from Mulder Waterproofing and Sealants of Kalamazoo. Tappenden said the recommendation was “based on the appropriateness of the Elastomeric coating for a historic façade, the longevity and long-term maintenance benefits of the proposed materials, and their ability to halt and prevent further deterioration in comparison to a simpler power wash and re-paint.”
In addition, the board approved a recommendation from Branch County Economic Growth Alliance Director Lisa Miller to pass a resolution to allocate just under $4,000 to Intersect Architects of Kalamazoo to work on the drawings for the interior of the Taylor’s building. Miller says the drawings have to be done to get proper permits and final construction quotes.
The money to pay Intersect would come from a reserve fund balance that is currently over $50,000.
The D.D.A. received preliminary approval permission from the City Council in January to borrow up to $350,000 from the general fund for renovations to the building.
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