If Columbia County Commissioners agree with a committee recommendation, recovery work will begin on a favorite gathering spot.
Commissioners vote tonight on two contracts recommended by members of the Management and Internal Services to begin repair work on the Savannah Rapids Pavilion.
The first contract is with Duckworth Development, LLC of Martinez. It is for a renovation of the facility off Stevens Creek Road. If approved, Facilities Director Steven Prather told ABD the county can schedule a pre-construction meeting with the contractor.
“We will decide on a notice proceed date, and that notice proceed date could be as soon as next week,” he said. “Once we issue the notice, they’re allowed to begin work. We anticipate that to hopefully be early May, and from that point, we have 400 and some odd days for completion.”
Commissioners had already approved an $8 million renovation to the existing 25,152 square foot facility under the county’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Then Hurricane Helene struck. A tree limb pierced the roof and set off the fire suppression system that flooded the building. The county immediately contracted with ServPro to protect the structure.
“After the hurricane, we basically gutted the building. We took off sheet rock, we took out flooring, we took out ceilings, we took out anything that would potentially grow mold,” Prather said. “We then treated the building so we wouldn’t have mold. We worked to make sure that this building was acclimated and had the temperature and humidity right.”
The contract with Duckworth Development, LLC is just shy of $11.5 million. In addition to the renovation plan, the contract also calls for an addition to the building.
“We decided to add on to the south side of the building. And basically, we made a bigger deck and covered that deck,” Prather explained. “We call it a pre-function space. So, if you came for an event that maybe had a dinner at seven, you could hang out on the porch, have light appetizers, drinks, and get to overlook the river. We just wanted to really have the ability to have more people outside and enjoy the view.”
Renovations to the existing facility will include new lighting, flooring, and drywall. Upgrades will include new kitchen equipment, HVAC system, and installation of an elevator. Please see the rendering at the beginning of the article.
A second, smaller contract will be voted on for WSP USA, Inc. for special inspection and material testing services. That contract is just under $54,000.
“On any project that we do for construction, we are required by the building code to test certain materials and systems,” said Prather. “They test for soil compaction before we pour the footing. They test for steel connections. They test the concrete to make sure it is what we specified. They provide us a report to make sure that the contractor and the materials that they’re purchasing meet the International Building Code.”
From Chamber of Commerce functions to weddings, meetings, or public events, the Savannah Rapids Pavilion has been in demand since it first opened in 1992. Prather is ready for the public to return.
“I think they will be in awe. They’ve always enjoyed this building, and now it’s just going to be a breath of fresh air,” he said. “People just love to be down by the river and love the views, and we will continue to help people enjoy that. All the new systems, the new finishes and colors, and carpet and hardwood floors are just going to really make this building pop.”
Tonight’s commission meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. in Building A auditorium at the Evans Government Center.
