The Morgan Hill City Council meeting chamber renovation and equipment upgrade project is about to start with the design and planning phase.
On Wednesday, the Council unanimously approved a contract with Weston Miles Architects in the amount of $157,650.
The Morgan Hill-based architecture firm will design a new layout for the Council’s meeting chambers at 17555 Peak Ave. that will accommodate a substantially larger crowd, improve access, and modernize the meeting hall’s audiovisual equipment and broadcasting capability, according to City staff.
Weston Miles’ share of the work is expected to be completed by May, with construction starting shortly thereafter.
The Council approved the chamber upgrade project in November 2012. The projected total cost of the project is about $975,000, including the contract with Weston Miles, according to a City staff report.
The cost also includes about $250,000 in new technology and associated upgrades for the facility’s audiovisual system, City staff said in November.
The construction process will include moving the Council’s designated meeting area into the middle of the building, with a partial new roof, the removal of some walls and counters that remain in the vacant space required, City staff said.
The redesign is expected to seat an audience of up to 280 – a far cry from the current spectator capacity of 60 to 80.
Furthermore, public and disabled access to seating, restrooms and parking are restricted by the current meeting chamber’s design and age, according to city staff. The new design concept approved by the Council would also provide an enclosed lobby or foyer between the outside of the building.
Three companies responded to the City’s request for design proposals, City staff said.
A panel of City staff selected Weston Miles partly because they were already familiar with the project through conceptual designs they produced for the Council in November. City staff also thought Weston Miles had experience with similar projects, and the firm has even performed design work on other City facilities such as the Centennial Recreation Center and the Friendly Inn.
