Cedar Rapids Today

The Lisbon City Council heard the bids that were submitted for repairs that have been planned to the city's History Center during the board's Feb. 27 meeting.

Rebecca Hess, chairperson of the Historic Preservation Commission, shared some of the estimates that were submitted by various companies to perform repairs and upgrades to the History Center, which is located at 102 Main Street.

One contractor bid $49,975 to strip off all the layers of paint from building in order to restore it. Another crew bid just over $32,000 to remove it with a pressure washer, using city water, but it was pointed out that much of the paint is lead-based, meaning that could create a hazardous situation and technical procedures to get rid of the paint peels after the removal. 

Another major project is fixing the brickwork and masonry in the building, Hess said. A large section on the north side is bulging out, having separated from the inside layers of bricks and is starting to pull away from the building. Other portions are cracked or crumbling, some are worn down because of water or leaks, and many sections are missing some bricks.

The bids for that portion of the project were between $49,000 and $58,765, and the bricks used would be matched to the old brick, and as much restoration as possible would be done to keep the historic integrity of the building intact, Hess added.

Among the council members, several concerns were raised about the price of the repairs, with visitation of center having diminished dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The city also discussed the possibility of selling the building, asking how much it might be worth on the real estate market. However, the same repairs would be needed in order to make it saleable, Hess pointed out. 

Mayor pro tem Nathan Smith said that no matter what is done, the city must be good stewards of the funding.

"I'm all for historical restorations," Smith said. "But I also have to -- as we six of us sit up here -- we have to look at this money as it isn’t our money to spend, it's the city's money to spend right now. We have to do what we feel in our mind is the best for the citizens of Lisbon."

Around $25,000 in grant funding is available to aid in the repairs, and part of those funds can only used for masonry work. The council voted to delay any decisions or award any contracts until the city hears from a real estate agent and receives bids from other contractors.