Casper City Council Takes a Look at Its New Temporary Home
Casper officials went to a movie theater on Tuesday for the show in which they will star for the next year during the renovation of City Hall, 200 N. David St.
City departments have been moving to the Casper Business Center, 123 W. First St., and will be out by the end of May, Assistant to the City Manager Jolene Martinez said.
So will City Council and its meetings.
Tuesday, Council members and other city staff toured the Lyric, 230 W. Yellowstone, to look at the theaters where they will meet for regular meetings and work sessions.
The Lyric still has the seats in place when the building was the Iris Stadium 8 Theatres.
The City Council will be able to choose between a 200-seat room and an 80-seat room.
The first council meeting in the Lyric will be June 6.
Lyric manager Lindsey Grant conducted the tour, showing Council members and city staff the upper floor where the projectors were placed and the kitchen, and recounting rhe building's history back when it was a Ford dealership.
City Manager Carter Napier said the city signed a contract with the Lyric for $12,000 for the use of the building.
The City recently has tightened security for people attending meetings, including placing a metal detector at the entrance to the council chambers.
A security area will be installed for those attending meetings at the Lyric, too.
The renovation starts June 1, and the general contractor is Caspar Building Systems, Inc.
The City approved the contract
The $5.5 million renovation -- the base bid amount, two alternate bids and a construction contingency amount -- includes these projects and upgrades:
- Enhance security.
- Improve the fire suppression system.
- Improve customer service and operational efficiencies.
- Comply with current Americans with Disabilities Act in public bathrooms and other areas.
- Improve the building's exterior to be more inviting, direct visitors to a primary entrance that engages customers with employees, and provide useful space for employees to gather or take breaks.
- Improve flooring, lighting and paint.
- More the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system which is failing due to age and construction materials.
- Replace air handlers to match the new HVAC system.
- Improve atrium lighting and setup for public meetings, communication and interaction.
Funding to renovate the 45-year-old building comes from $2.6 million from the City's capital reserves, $1 million from the Optional One-cent sales tax #17, and $1.9 million from excess Optional One-cent sales tax funds.