The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office building has gone through a couple changes since it began in the 1950s as a filling station, and it’s likely more will soon follow. Last summer, commissioners hired Gale Associates of Portland to examine the building’s future feasibility. The county purchased the former filling station property in 1980. The county converted it into the sheriff’s office in 1985 and added a jail later that year. For years, county officials have worried about the building’s overall condition and sought a consultant’s opinion about the aging building’s overall condition.

On March 19, Arno Skalski presented Gale Associates’ preliminary report to commissioners. The report calls for an estimated $7.4 million to repair, replace, or renovate the building. County Administrator Carrie Kipfer said the commissioners will review the report, and later post it on their website. “We want the public to review the report and give their feedback on how to proceed,” she said. “Commissioners are planning informational meetings around the county this summer regarding what the public wants to do with the building.”

The preliminary estimate didn’t include costs associated with design, engineering, and owner’s project management. “Lincoln County should be aware due to the economic condition around the world there is a potential that the actual design/bid values may be higher or lower than what is presented in the report,” Skalski said. Gale Associates also broke down project costs on a percentage basis: contingency, 15%; general conditions, 10%; overhead and profit, 5%; and bond and insurance, 2%. 

Skalski spent about 40 minutes presenting the executive summary of the 259-page report. The building’s site, soils, building envelope systems, structure, architecture, mechanical, electrical, plumbing systems along with sampling and testing of hazardous materials were evaluated and assessed. Skalski told commissioners the assessment isn’t intended as an “exhaustive” analysis, but rather to provide an overview of existing conditions, including initial opinions for improvements along with cost assumptions. “It is Gale’s opinion that there are several conditions and deficiencies that affect the building’s performance, comfort, functionality, accessibility, and health and safety which are in need of repair, replacement and or renovation throughout the facility,” based on a field review, evaluations, leak audits, and information and documentation provided by county officials. 

The paved driveways and parking lots were described as being in “poor condition” and didn’t have marked handicapped parking locations. The report recommended resetting catch basins, bituminous resurfacing of paved areas, line stripping and markings, lowering the building’s grade, and adding French drains and stone drip edge. 

The building’s envelope has a brick masonry veneer which is in “fair condition,” but with isolated areas of cracked brick, displaced brick, step cracks, deteriorated mortar, rust/atmospheric staining, algae growth, and efflorescence, which “should be remedially repaired to extend the serviceability of (the) brick veneer exterior wall system.”

In addition to remedial brick masonry repairs, the report calls for replacing the brick masonry veneer cavity located at the east and north elevations. The concrete masonry unit veneer and barrier wall are in “poor condition” andsusceptible to moisture infiltration with widespread cracked concrete blocks, deteriorated mortar, step cracks, deteriorating and delaminating coating and peeling paint.

The report recommends extensive concrete unit masonry block repairs, repointing all mortar joints, a new application of waterproof coating, and new sheet metal or other cladding materials. “This approach requires further design analysis to determine its applicability, and therefore is not included in the overall repair, renovation or replacement cost estimate,” Skalski said. 

The window systems consist of steel, wood and wood-clad units throughout the building. Painted-wood windows are double hung and located in the administration and original portion of the building and described as in “very poor” condition. “It’s of Gale’s opinion that the wood and wood aluminum clad be removed and replaced with new aluminum windows with insulated glazing units matching the original aesthetic of the building,” he said. 

The roof systems are also in bad shape. The steep, sloped shingles are “beyond their serviceable useful life” along with vegetative growth throughout and two roofs exhibit significant standing water. “It’s Gale’s opinion that all roofing be replaced with new fiberglass asphalt shingle roofing and a new sheet metal flashing and edge systems,” he said. 

The overall building’s structure appears in “fair condition” with only isolated areas of more significant deficiencies. It is recommended replacing the cracked wood joist on the administrative section’s first level. Another recommendation is replacing the plywood sub-floor. “This would address the bowed and warped flooring conditions. The 1985 addition has moisture infiltration throughout the basement. It’s Gale’s opinion that the concrete slab be grouted hydrophilic grout designed to expand upon contact with water,” read the report. “The south retaining wall includes structural cracks and appears to be leaning. Gale advises the wall be rebuilt and removed.”

The report made no recommendations about repairing, rebuilding, or renovating, but it did recommend a complete interior demolition. This would allow repairs and improvements to meet current operational needs. “However, given the overcrowding conditions, it’s unlikely that repairs alone will address safety, health and operational needs of staff and visitors,” the report read.

The report listed 13 improvement options: a main entry addition to secure an entrance and elevator, change doors to lever-type with locksets for maximum safety and security, renovate the interior to accommodate Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant spaces, remove all non-load bearing partitions and rebuild to better meet occupant needs, rework the former jail area to improve flow and storage, repair interior finish faces of walls and replace all wall base, replace finished flooring, repair and epoxy seal cracked floor slabs then apply moisture mitigation and install new floor finishes, remove all ceilings and replace with painted drywall, replace stair railings and guard rails with code-compliant versions, and address operational deficiencies as repairs and renovations are made. The final recommendation is replacing damaged tiles at entry landings and stair treads, replacing doors, frames hardware, transaction windows and access controls while replacing interior walls and partitions, and provide ballistic-rated and shatterproof glazing.

The plumbing system is operating “sufficiently,” but fixtures and restrooms don’t comply with accessibility requirements. and water heating equipment’s service life is near its end. Gale provided several options: replacing the oil-fired water heater with an electric heat pump, providing a thermostatic mixing valve on the hot water supply, installing a two-inch reduced pressure zone backflow preventer downstream of the water meter, extending a plumbing vent at least four feet above an air louver, clean debris from roof drains, remove all cell fixtures and associated piping, provide ADA-compliant restrooms on each level, provide ADA-compliant showers for staff and provide a bi-level water-cooled drinking station with a bottle filler on each level. 

“Overall most of the mechanical equipment is past their life expectancy and should be replaced,” read the report. “Building conditions are reportedly humid and uncomfortable. Mechanical systems are constant volume with dated controls that do not provide zones for cooling. This could cause systems to conflict with heating zones and increase energy costs.”

The report described electrical distribution throughout the facility as “outdated.” The electrical room/mezzanine needs redesigning and most electrical panels have work space violations and are “beyond their useful life.” IT equipment should be in a dedicated room. 

Based on soil samples, building conditions other than subsurface conditions could be contributing to “observed building damage.” 

Last June, commissioners contracted with Gale Associates to perform the sheriff’s building’s assessment for $112,650.