MCC Vice Chair Shares Wish List for Extensive Changes at McLean Community Center

McLean Community Center vice chair Risa Sanders had a long wish list Monday for the consultants exploring the feasibility of the expansion and renovation of the center.

Sanders also heads the board's Capital Facilities Committee, which is recommending an architectural firm to prepare three possible expansion options at a cost of $50,000.

At Monday night's committee meeting, she explained the committee's "must haves": additional rehearsal space, office space, and storage space.

"The building could really use a facelift on the outside,” she said.

"What can we do to refresh the look of the building?" she asked Debbie Robison, of SWSG, an engineering and construction management company the committee will recommend hiring.

She said the interior also needed renovating with "a lobby reconfiguration", new technologies and new finishes in the rooms.

"Can we mask the cinder-block walls?," she asked saying they give "an institutional" feel to the building.

Her last request: An awning on the front of the building to protect visitors in bad weather.

With a bigger building comes more parking. Sanders asked them to be creative at looking at the parking "because it will be a need for more parking.”

Board member Robin Walker asked about a "green" roof.

"We aren't looking at redoing the roof," Sanders said.

The proposed contract calls for paying SWSG $32,000. Then they will contract with a civil engineering firm that will charge nearly $18,000.

Robison told the committee if the civil engineers of William H. Gordon Associates attended a meeting to answer their questions, the firm charges $2,000 a meeting.

Sean Dunn, a member of the Capital Facilities Committee, said he would probably like to hear from the civil engineers. Sanders said probably not.

The proposed contract must be approved by the entire MCC board which meets tonight.