AUBURN – With the move to Auburn Hall pending, City Administrator Pat Finnigan said she’s pleased with initial construction cost estimates.

“What we wanted, and what we got, was a classic building,” Finnigan said. “We wanted something that was going to be durable and nice looking, but we wanted to do it frugally.”

Current estimates put the costs for the renovation of Auburn Hall at about 1.77 percent over the initial budget. That total cost is about $8.7 million, which includes $7.8 million in construction costs, $762,119 in design fees and $138,820 in change orders.

“That’s a phenomenal price,” Finnigan said. “That kind of thing is not something that happens on auto-pilot. That was why we chose the construction firm we did. It was why we had our staff putting in so much time working on this.”

The city’s big move starts Monday, when Public Works crews start moving boxes from the city’s old building at 45 Spring St. to the new 60 Court St. site.

The building looks more expensive than it is, she said.

“There’s a number of things we did to make it look nice,” she said. Those include using rubber tiles on the roof to simulate stone mansard tiles, concrete columns in the front made to look like granite, and treated plywood paneling in the halls and offices designed to look like more expensive wood.

“We could have gone with plain walls, plain everything, and just painted every wall ivory,” Finnigan said. “That would have looked fine, but very institutional. Instead, we wanted to create a place that the city can be proud of.”

About 62 percent of the $8.7 million budget went into structural work – including site work, concrete, metal, masonry and doors and windows. Another $915,188 went to finish work – carpeting, tile, paint and insulation.

“This is a building that’s designed to last for 100 years, like the building it replaces,” she said. “So that’s why we used economical, durable products.”

Construction change orders include last-minute changes to ventilation, lighting, fire alarms and putting auto-flush toilets in public restrooms.

The project is being paid for with proceeds of an $8.2 million bond sale. Those proceeds include an additional 10 to 15 percent contingency fund, and that money is being used to pay for the construction and design changes.

Moving day

City offices at Spring Street close down Friday, Oct. 8, for the last time, and staff will complete the move over the Columbus Day weekend. The city opens at 8 a.m. on Oct. 12 in Auburn Hall.

School officials are scheduled to begin moving their offices to the new building in November. An official grand opening will be scheduled once they’re settled, Finnigan said. That will probably be early December.

“But we’re glad to show people around whenever they come by, once we move in,” Finnigan said.

Auburn residents and staff will have plenty of things to get used to – including a new phone number. Callers to the city’s old number will get a recorded message directing them to 333-6600 after Columbus Day. That new number will put them in touch with the Auburn Hall receptionist. Callers wanting to go directly to the automatic switchboard can call 333-6601.

Auburn Hall will be the polling place for Ward 3 voters in November’s election. City Council meetings will also be broadcast live from the council chambers on Monday nights on Great Falls TV.