Pullman wants more input on event center
Sep. 1—The Pullman City Council wants more time and public input before deciding to move forward with the proposed Lawson Gardens event center project that was approved by voters in 2018.
The original design for the Lawson Garden House was a 3,815-square-foot indoor space intended for weddings, meetings and special events.
Rising construction costs since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic forced the architect, Design West Architects, to draw up other, less expensive designs for the proposed Lawson Garden House.
The city budgeted nearly $1.3 million for the project using funds from the $10.5 million bond and a $700,000 grant from the Pullman Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. However, every construction bid it received came in well over that price.
City staff and Design West Architects looked for ways to modify the design so that it could be built at a cheaper price.
The least expensive design would transform the event center into an open-air pavilion instead of an enclosed space. The restrooms would remain enclosed and heated, but the rest of the space would be open to the garden.
That pavilion option would likely cost $1.6 million.
Councilor Nathan Weller said he was concerned an open pavilion would be a target for graffiti or be used by homeless people as a shelter.
He is also worried about deceiving voters who voted for the original building design when they approved the bond.
Councilor Brandon Chapman shared this concern about approving a design that is different than what the voters expected.
"At some point I think residents are going to feel a little raw, like maybe they're just not getting what they asked for," he said.
The councilors were also uncomfortable making a decision on the design without the input of councilors Pat Wright and Al Sorensen, who were absent from Tuesday's meeting.
City Attorney Laura McAloon said the city has until Oct. 17, 2023, to spend the bond funds. The city could spend the event center money on other park projects instead, or it can spend it on debt service payments on the bond.
Councilor Eileen Macoll said she does not hear the public clamoring for the Lawson Garden House as much as they are clamoring for general parks improvements.
The council, hoping to get more input from the public and their fellow councilors, decided to delay any decision on the Lawson Garden House design until its Sept. 14 meeting.
Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.
