What's the future of the county-owned Smith Building?

This could get expensive.

Winneshiek County supervisors on Thursday met with two consulting engineers to discuss what improvements might need to be made to the building, which was built back to 1914, when it opened as the "Decorah Hospital."  The building was donated to Winneshiek County in 1969 because the hospital bought land and started constructing the present Winneshiek Medical Center buildings.

Engineers Victor Amoroso and John Jurca outlined a number of possible improvements to the building--some of which they say need to be done right away and others that are optional. 

Amoroso said he found several existing electrical panels that are accessible by anyone and also have exposed electrical bars.  He recommended immediately installing new panels at a cost of up to $10,000.  Amoroso also recommended redoing the existing electrical service in the boiler room of the Smith Building, which could cost up to $80,000.

Jurca recommended removing an underground fuel oil tank and making other minor changes totaling $50,000.  He also discussed at length the existing steam heating system for the building.  Maintaining the current system would cost just under $100,000, while converting to hot water heating would cost up to $140,000.  Jurca also discussed removing all window air conditioners in the building and installing building-wide cooling and dehumidification--at a cost of up to $634,000. 

Amoroso then discuss long term improvements in electrical service and IT infrastructure for a combined cost of up to $150,000.

Winneshiek County supervisors toured the Smith Building with the two men on Thursday.  Supervisors now will have to decide whether to do any of the recommended work.  Supervisor John Beard also said the discussion would include determining whether it still made sense for the county to use the Smith Building.

Consulting engineer John Jurca looks at the electrical panels in the Smith Building boiler room

Supervisors talk with consulting engineer Victor Amoroso

One easily-corrected problem: dumpsters are blocking the boiler room's outside air intake