Madison city council approves $1.2 million for design of four-story clubhouse at Toyota Field
MADISON – In a split 4-3 vote, the Madison City Council approved a $1.2 million agreement with Nola Van Peursem Architects to draw up designs for a four-story clubhouse addition at Toyota Field.
The city needs to build a new clubhouse at Toyota Field to meet new MiLB standards, but discussion has been ongoing over whether the clubhouse will be one story and just meet requirements or be four stories with additional spaces for suites.
Councilmembers Bartlett, Maura Wroblewski, and Karen Denzine voted against the proposal.
“I support doing what Minor League Baseball is requiring that we do,” Councilwoman Wroblewski explained her vote. “[I] definitely don’t want the stadium to go the way of Joe Davis, but the stadium’s only four years old. I think this would be a great project in ten years. I just can’t see putting the city $20 million more, at least probably, in debt when we’re already at 85 with the cost of the stadium and the flyovers.”
City planner Mary Beth Broeren clarified that the proposal does not green light the building of a four story clubhouse but authorizes the design of one. Councilwoman Bartlett had other reservations about the timeliness of the council’s vote on the proposal.
“I have a concern with us walking this on at such a signif- icant dollar amount, a $1.2 million contract for the architecture plans. I think we should have noticed it to the public so they’d have a chance to comment and for transparency’s sake. I’m undecided on the wisdom of the plan because we don’t have a guarantee of the backstop payment in the drafts that we’ve seen and in the current lease agreement,” commented Bartlett.
Madison City Council members Spears, Seifert, Teddy Powell, and Greg Shaw voted in favor.
Seifert explained his position, “I see the opportunity in front of us, by… doing the drawings,…to go then have a quote from that that we could then consider and determine whether or not to enter into a contract.”
According to MiLB requirements, the city needs to build a new clubhouse before the 2025 season. The repercussions of not meeting the deadline are unclear at this time.
In other business
The Madison City Council elected a new council president and council pro tempore last week. Councilman John Seifert was elected to replace Councilwoman Ranae Bartlett as council president. Bartlett was elected council pro tempore. Councilwoman Connie Spears was reappointed to finance committee chair.
The reorganized council went on to approve a restaurant retail liquor license for Beignets & Brew coming to 12120 County Line Road in the space formerly housing Grounded Coffee. The French donut chain already has one North Alabama location at Redstone Gateway.
The council authorized an agreement for the design of a sidewalk along Balch Road as part of the Balch and Gooch Roundabout project. The agreement calls for design of a 300 foot sidewalk on the east side of Balch Road at the cost of $6,500.
Another agreement was approved for another road project, this one for engineering services for improvements at the Powell Road and Burgreen Road intersection.
The council also authorized a change order extending the construction deadline for the Brownsferry Road culvert replacement project by thirty days and accepting an increase in contract price by $74, 933 from Miller & Miller.
The next city council meeting will take place Tuesday, November 12 at 6 p.m. at Madison City Hall, 100 Hughes Road in Madison.
