CAPTION: The Atrium Hotel and Conference Center, located at 1400 N Lorraine St. CREDIT CITY OF HUTCHINSON
By Emmie Boese
The Hutchinson City Council authorized an $865,000 bid from Kansas Concrete LLC for asbestos abatement and demolition of the Atrium Hotel and Convention Center.
The council passed the authorization at a special city council meeting on Monday night.
Matt Williams, director of community development, said the city plans to bond for the project. Williams also said the city will pay the $865,000 and assess it to the property which will go on the taxes of the property owner. If the amount is not paid after three years, then the county will send it to the tax sale.
“In of course staff’s review of the bids, we took into account the bidders’ understanding of the project, past experience, the thoroughness of their submittal and reference checks,” Williams said.
Williams said the city will not own the building or property during the demolition and asbestos abatement process. Asbestos abatement is required to begin within 45 days and demolition work is required to be completed within 120 days of the end of asbestos abatement.
“The project includes hauling away all of the contents, all of the signage, all of the demolition material, removing all of the concrete, all of the footings within the limits of the structure, cutting and capping utilities, and backgrading the area to fill with filler dirt,” Williams said.
Williams told the council the city received seven bids for the project with Kansas Concrete LLC being the second lowest bidder.
On Oct. 1, 2024, the council heard an update on the status of the Atrium, and with no demolition or visible progress being made and no cash bond from the owner, the council voted to move forward unanimously with the demolition of the structure. Bids for demolition and asbestos abatement were sent out on Aug. 27, 2024.
The council also heard from Evan Patterson from the city’s public works department about an estimated $ 5.6 million water loan application from the Kansas Water Fund. The city plans to submit the application for the loan on Oct. 15, 2024. The city will have 49% forgiveness on the loan. The purpose of the will be to fix 10 pipes that have been contaminated with lead and galvanized in the city’s network.
The council passed a resolution unanimously to approve the city to apply for the loan. A public hearing was opened prior to voting on the resolution but no public comments were made.
The next regular city council meeting is on Monday, Oct. 5 at 5:30 p.m.
