Long-Range Facility Planning/City Hall Closure

Stay updated on both current City operations and the planning for a permanent City Hall solution here on Let’s Talk. Islanders are encouraged to review the Frequently Asked Questions below, which includes information on what ideas have been considered and additional details. You can also submit questions for a response using the Ask a Question feature.

At the July 18, 2023 City Council meeting, representatives from PBS Engineering and Environmental (PBS) provided an overview of the environmental assessment work performed at City Hall and reviewed the findings. Here’s what was presented:

Testing Methods and Results

Following the initial asbestos testing, the City hired PBS to advise staff, conduct more intensive testing, and ensure that industry best practices were followed in further detection and risk mitigation efforts. Between late April and early July, PBS performed three primary types of tests: air quality, settled dust, and bulk material testing, with hundreds of samples collected across all test types.

Air Sampling

The intent of air sampling is to screen interior air for potential asbestos fibers. Air samples were collected from locations throughout the building, using high-volume air sampling pumps and analyzed using the NIOSH 7402 method, which uses Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and reports findings in concentrations of fibers per cm3. No asbestos fibers were identified in the collected air samples.

Settled Dust Sampling

The intent of this sampling is to evaluate surface dust in the building and mechanical system for potential asbestos content. PBS collected settled dust samples at representative locations throughout the interior of City Hall and inside the HVAC system. Each sample was collected using an air sampling pump to draw dust from a 100 cm2 area.

Samples were analyzed using the ASTM D 5575-09 method, which uses Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and reports findings in concentrations of structures per square centimeter (s/cm2). Findings are reported based on the size of any asbestos identified, grouped by between 0.5 and 5 microns, and those larger than 5 microns.

‘Background levels’ of asbestos structures in accumulated dust range from an average of 1,000 s/cm2 in non-industrial areas to 10,000 s/cm2 in cities and industrial areas where asbestos materials are common. Levels above 10,000 s/cm2 are generally considered to be “above background” in any geographical location. There are no regulatory thresholds for the amount of asbestos in surface dust.

Asbestos concentrations in excess of 10,000 s/cm2 were identified in six of the samples, all of which were associated with the HVAC system.

Bulk Asbestos Sampling

PBS took 84 samples from various materials for the presence of asbestos. This has been conducted to confirm asbestos content in select building materials.

Samples were analyzed according to either EPA Method 600R-93/116 using Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) or EPA Method 600R-93/116 TEM Bulk Semi-Quantitative.

In addition to the various flooring and adhesive materials that tested positive for the presence of asbestos, three bulk samples taken from HVAC filters contained trace amounts of asbestos, and two window-glazing putty samples tested positive.

Limitations on Testing and Inspection

One goal of this wide-ranging testing was to create a comprehensive survey of conditions inside the HVAC system. However, field analysis found that many of the oldest ducts are encapsulated behind heavy plastic sheeting and fiberglass batt insulation and/or multiple layers of ceiling material. Accessing these areas for testing will require coordinated and costly deconstruction of multiple building systems including but not limited to electrical, data and low-voltage cabling, plumbing, ceiling grid, and insulation. The testing inside the HVAC system was taken as far as it could but was halted due to limited access to the remaining areas.

In conjunction with the targeted HVAC testing, a building-wide “Good Faith Inspection” was conducted on June 27, 2023 to detect, identify, and catalog any unknown asbestos-containing materials. The goal of the inspection was a full-building analysis, but the scope of the investigation was also limited due to the inaccessibility of much of the attic and roof structure of the building. No previously unknown asbestos-containing materials were found in the areas that were accessible for surveying.

While the floor tiles and adhesive found in the basement mechanical room alerted staff to the asbestos issue and prompted extensive testing in the building, these items are not likely to be the sole source of asbestos detected in portions of the HVAC system. Additional sources of asbestos contamination have not been definitively identified, and likely will not be uncovered by further testing. Based on the varying levels and locations of asbestos identified through the testing completed to date, PBS consultants believe there is a high probability that one or more sources of contamination contributed to the issue over the life of the building. Further, there is a high likelihood that the original asbestos-containing materials were removed during a previous renovation in the late 1980s.

Abatement

Abatement, which is the removal of contaminated materials and equipment by a specialized contractor, has only been completed in a limited area of the basement of City Hall. Specifically, the basement mechanical room floor with asbestos containing broken tiles and adhesive was abated by a licensed contractor in mid-May, with post-abatement sampling of the floor confirming that there are no longer detectable traces of asbestos present. The HVAC system at City Hall remains unabated and turned off. Unless it is abated, it must remain off.

Potential Solutions to Re-Occupy City Hall

Northwest Studio, the City’s architect team, presented two preliminary scenarios to the City Council to re-occupy City Hall:

The first scenario was a full re-occupancy of City Hall. This work would require abatement of the floor tiles in the basement mechanical room, replacement of the HVAC hydronic and ventilation system, and the replacement of various building infrastructure required by replacement of the HVAC system (ceilings, light fixtures, cabling, etc.). The preliminary cost estimate to re-occupy City Hall under this scenario is $10 million with an estimated timeline of nearly two years to complete the work. This cost estimate does not include full abatement costs or softs costs such as design, engineering, and project management costs.

The second scenario was to investigate the possibility of re-occupying only the Police Department areas of City Hall for seven years while longer-term options were investigated. The team looked at partitioning the existing Police Department spaces from the remainder of the City Hall building, abating those spaces, removing the existing HVAC system, and installing a contemporary system to serve this occupancy. The preliminary cost estimate to abate and re-occupy the Police Department portion of City Hall is over $4 million with an estimated timeline of 12 to 18 months to complete the work. This cost estimate does not include full abatement costs or softs costs such as design, engineering, and project management costs.

Upon learning of the initial cost estimates to abate and re-occupy the City Hall building, and in consideration of the age and condition of the building, Councilmembers indicated during discussions at the July 18, 2023 City Council meeting that the costs to re-occupy City Hall outweighed the benefits of re-opening the building.

In December of 2022, the City launched a Request for Proposals (RFP) process to complete a Facilities Conditions Assessment for various municipal buildings and to lead the development of a Long-Range Facilities Plan for select City facilities. The scope of work includes Mercer Island City Hall, the Public Works Building, the Mercer Island Community & Event Center Annex Building, the Luther Burbank Administrative Building, the Mercer Island Thrift Shop, and the former Tully’s Building.

The project is structured in two phases, the first being the Facilities Conditions Assessment performed in 2023. The assessment and accompanying data and analysis will be used to prioritize a comprehensive repair, alteration, and improvement budget for extending building life for 50 years. The outcomes from the Facilities Conditions Assessment will help shape and guide the second phase of work, anticipated in 2024, which will include development of a Long-Range Facilities Plan for select facilities.

The City sent the Request for Proposals to 29 firms known to have experience or expertise in building condition analysis and future facilities planning. Eight firms responded and the City selected four of these to interview. Based on these interviews by a panel of City staff, Northwest Studio was selected for the Facilities Conditions Assessment and Long-Range Facilities Planning project in March 2023.

The scope of work and phasing has changed slightly due to evolving needs related to the emergency closure of City Hall. The long-term planning portion of the project will include scenarios for replacement of City Hall, as well as meeting the original intent of guiding City Council decisions on other City buildings.

These frequently asked questions (FAQ) can also be found in the FAQ section.

City Hall Facility Asbestos Discovery and Abatement

Q: How was the asbestos discovered?
A: Staff visually identified broken floor tiles and flooring adhesive in the basement mechanical room, which had a similar appearance to other asbestos-containing materials previously abated in City Hall. Professional testing was then conducted which confirmed the materials were asbestos-containing on April 17, 2023.

The mechanical room houses one of the building’s two primary air handling units (AHU), a key component of the HVAC system. To ensure the safety of City staff and visitors, City Hall was closed immediately while further testing was conducted to determine if asbestos fibers were present in other areas of the facility.

Q: Has any asbestos remediation been carried out yet?
A: Abatement, which is the removal of contaminated materials and equipment by a specialized contractor, has only been completed in a limited area of the basement of City Hall. Specifically, the basement mechanical room floor with asbestos-containing broken tiles and adhesive was abated by a licensed contractor in mid-May, however the HVAC system at City Hall remains unabated and inactive due to the subsequent expense and complexity of abating that system.

Q: What would it cost to conduct asbestos abatement so City Hall could reopen?

A: The preliminary cost estimate to re-occupy City Hall is $10 million with an estimated timeline of nearly two years to complete the work. This cost estimate does not include full abatement costs or soft costs such as design, engineering, and project management costs.

Q: Why is the cost of abatement and re-occupancy so high?

A: The work to re-occupy City Hall would include the required abatement of asbestos-containing floor tiles throughout the building, replacement of the HVAC hydronic and ventilation system, and the replacement of various building infrastructure required by replacement of the HVAC system (ceilings, light fixtures, cabling, etc.).

Q: Why can’t the HVAC system be abated (cleaned) instead of being fully replaced? What about portable or temporary systems?
A: Commercial HVAC systems are complex and must meet a variety of health and safety standards. Due to the intricate nature of the internal components of the HVAC air handling units, the presence of fiberglass batt insulation inside many of the system’s ducts, and the age and volume of dust build-up present throughout the system, it is not possible to clean and return the existing system to operation. The only option is a full retrofit replacement.

Portable systems are not a viable option as they do not meet current energy code requirements and would require extensive modifications to the building's existing electrical distribution system.

Q: Won’t City insurance cover the asbestos abatement or replacement of the HVAC system and air duct system?
A: Insurance policies do not usually cover asbestos-related issues. In this specific case, the City’s insurance provider, Washington Cities Insurance Authority, specifically excludes claims arising out of or resulting from:

The use of asbestos in constructing any good, product or structure; or,

The removal of asbestos from any good, product or structure; or,

The manufacture, sale, transportation, storage or disposal of asbestos or goods or products containing asbestos.

This exclusion is not unique to the City’s coverage. The Washington Cities Insurance Authority provides insurance to many Washington cities.

Q: City staff discovered the presence of asbestos in April. Why is this process taking so long?
A: Unfortunately, the asbestos contamination at City Hall is complex and cannot be easily identified or abated.

Initial testing, performed by an asbestos abatement contractor, focused on air quality throughout the building and identifying other asbestos-containing materials after the initial discovery of the broken floor tiles and adhesive. Following the initial testing, the City hired PBS Engineering and Environmental to advise staff, conduct more intensive testing, including air sampling, settled dust sampling, and bulk asbestos sampling.

Building conditions and limited accessibility to some areas and components of the mechanical systems of City Hall made a comprehensive survey of the HVAC system difficult and time-consuming. Field analysis found that many of the oldest ducts are encapsulated behind heavy plastic sheeting and fiberglass batt insulation and/or multiple layers of ceiling material. Accessing these areas for testing requires coordinated and costly deconstruction of multiple building systems including electrical, data, and low-voltage cabling, plumbing, ceiling grid, and insulation.

In conjunction with the targeted HVAC testing, a building-wide “Good Faith Inspection” was conducted on June 27, 2023, to detect, identify, and catalog any unknown asbestos-containing materials. The goal of the inspection was a full-building analysis, but the scope of the investigation was also limited due to the inaccessibility of much of the attic and roof structure of the building.

Q: Why weren’t the staff aware that City Hall had disturbed asbestos?
A: City Hall was built in 1957 and has been repaired, renovated, and changed owners during its lifetime. The building contains many different construction materials from differing decades – it’s possible that the asbestos contamination within the HVAC system occurred prior to City ownership or during a renovation project in the late 1980s through early 1990s. It is unlikely that the basement floor tiles are the sole source of the asbestos found in the HVAC system.

Q: Where have City staff been working since City Hall was closed in April?
A: The displacement of staff from City Hall has been challenging for City teams across all departments and workgroups. Many City administrative functions can be performed remotely, and those work teams have been working from home, from modified/shared workspaces in administrative areas of the Community Center, the Maintenance Building, and the Luther Burbank Administrative Building. Other functions such as Police Operations and Municipal Court require specialized facilities that are not easily replicated, and re-housing these services is the top priority.

Since June 2023, the Municipal Court has been utilizing City of Kirkland facilities for court days, and working from a conference room at the fire station on other work days. The Kirkland facility does not have enough capacity to house our staff and files, so another solution is needed. At the October 17, 2023 City Council meeting, the Council will review and consider an agenda bill approving an Interlocal Agreement and lease with the City of Newcastle to house Municipal Court operations. After an exhaustive search for temporary leased space, the City Manager is recommending leasing Newcastle Council Chambers for court proceedings and available office space in the Newcastle City Hall building for court staff offices.

Staff are also working to address the impacts to the Police Department and are in the process of implementing a plan to place temporary modular facilities in the City Hall parking lot for short-term support of police operations. Staff will brief the City Council on the work to re-house the Police Department at a future City Council meeting.

City staff remain hard at work and most public services continue to be available as normal. More than 80% of City employees are working and delivering services on Mercer Island daily. For information about how to reach City staff or about specific City services, please click here.

Moving City Hall to Another Facility

Q: The Mercer Island Community and Event Center (MICEC) is a large facility. Why can’t the City Hall staff and police relocate there?
A: City staff have identified critical operations that can be performed from the Community Center, including shared workspaces for displaced City staff, and soon, the location of City Council meetings and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). However, staff remain mindful of the need to preserve the use of the Community Center for existing programming that serves the community and generates crucial revenue for the facility. The Community Center would not be a suitable long-term solution due to the many programs and services the facility provides for the community.

Q: Can City Hall staff relocate to the Community Center Annex Building?

A: The Annex Building houses a daycare provider, who holds a current lease for the space. This building is included in the City’s Long Range Facilities Plan project and options for its future use will be evaluated as work progresses.

Q: What about the Tully’s building? Can City Hall staff or Police move into that space, since the City owns it?
A: The City has engaged architecture firm Northwest Studio to conduct facility conditions assessments at several City facilities, including the former Tully’s building. In its current condition, the former Tully’s building it is not suitable for occupancy and cannot be used to mitigate the impacts of the City Hall closure.

The City Council was scheduled to discuss the future use of the former Tully’s property this fall, but the closure of City Hall has led to reprioritization of many work items. It is anticipated the City Council will discuss the future use of this property sometime in 2024.

Q: Why hasn’t the City rented a different building or space on Mercer Island for City Hall?

A: The City’s project team is conducting an exhaustive search for alternative facilities on Mercer Island to address the closure of City Hall. The search is challenging, however, as the City has unique functions like Police and Municipal Court that require specialized facilities to meet safety, security, and public access requirements. Unfortunately, there are few spaces on Mercer Island suitable to meet these needs. In addition, the cost of leasing space and anticipated tenant improvements to house the City’s specialized operations must be carefully considered.

Long-Term Facility Planning

Q: Many of the City’s facilities are aging, what is the plan to replace them?
A: It’s true that other City facilities, in addition to City Hall, are aging and in need of renovations, safety upgrades, and various other improvements to meet current standards. In early 2023, the City began working on Facilities Conditions Assessments to guide future investment decisions for City facilities and the development of a Long-Range Facilities Plan. These assessments include Mercer Island City Hall, the Public Works Building, the Mercer Island Community and Event Center Annex Building, the Luther Burbank Administrative Building, the Mercer Island Thrift Shop building, and the former Tully’s Building. A second phase will include Facility Conditions Assessments for Fire Station 91, Fire Station 92, and the Mercer Island Community and Event Center.

The assessments will be used to prioritize a comprehensive plan to maintain, repair or replace these buildings to ensure City facilities can deliver municipal programs and services for the next 50 years.

Q: Has the City considered selling the City Hall property? What about relocating to Town Center?

A: The City will consider a wide range of options that will result in a responsible, efficient, and sustainable future for City Hall operations. Northwest Studio and Heartland, the City’s Real Estate Broker, will be assisting the City in evaluating these options. Community engagement on the long-term options to replace City Hall is anticipated in 2024.

Accessing City Services

Q: Are City staff available? How do I answer questions or access services?
A: As always, for the quickest and fastest service, community members should contact the City of Mercer Island Customer Service Team. The City’s Customer Service Team can help answer your questions about services, such as service requests, pet licensing, business licenses, or parking permits during the closure of City Hall. The Customer Service Team can also assist you in getting connected to other teams as needed. They can be reached at 206-275-7600 or at customerservice@mercerisland.gov and are available Monday - Friday from 8:30am - 5:00pm, except for City-observed holidays.

Q: I want to participate in City Council meetings. How do I do that with City Hall closed?

A: With the closure of City Hall and Council Chambers in April, the City Council returned to virtual meetings conducted online via Zoom and available to watch live on the City’s YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/MercerIslandCouncil), and the City’s TV channel (MI-TV 21), as well as listening over the phone. The Mercer Island Community and Event Center (MICEC) has a meeting room available for anyone wishing to make public comment during the appearances portion of the meeting or to watch the meeting on screen.

Given the long-term nature of the City Hall closure, City staff are in the process of converting the Slater Room at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center into a Council Chambers. Staff anticipate the room will be operational and meetings will return to in-person status in late 2023.