Wellness Center project open for bids

by Marianne Gasaway

Members of the Clear Lake School Board and City Council reviewed plans at their respective meetings for the $11.5 million Wellness Center which they are partnering to build.

Representatives of Atura Architecture, Clear Lake, provided drawings, cost estimates and even a virtual tour to representatives, who enthusiastically endorsed the ideas.

The Board of Education unanimously approved release of the 81,000 square foot Wellness Center project for public bid.  The project will be bid with an alternate, an additional 2,100 square foot multipurpose space which would expand the floor space to spread out main floor features.

At Monday night’s Council meeting, Architect Mark Kroemer and Senior Designer Scott Huffman said nine general contractors have expressed interest in the project.  Bids will be opened Aug. 13 and the School Board is expected to award the contract Aug. 18.

The project is scheduled for substantial completion by December 2021.

The school district and city still need to draft a 28E operating agreement for the facility.  Generally, the main floor of the center will house features used by the school district, while the upper level, which includes an elevated walking track and multi-purpose rooms, has features for community use.  Kroemer and Huffman explained the school district is financing pieces of the project which have a benefit to students, while the city is covering costs for non-student uses, such as sauna rooms and the elevated track.

The school district is funding its portion of the cost with use of funds approved by voters in a March 2020 bond referendum.

The City Council has selected Northland Securities to provide placement services for the City’s planned issuance of

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$700,000 in general obligation debt for the Wellness Center Project.  City Administrator Scott Flory said it is anticipated the issuance will entail a private placement with one of the local banks in the Clear Lake area.

“The City wishes to utilize Northland in order to provide the most transparent and efficient process possible,” said Flory.

Following construction bids and an award of construction contract, the City will work with Northland to establish a bid date for receipt of proposals to acquire the City’s debt issuance.  It is expected that the closing a delivery of funds would occur in mid-October, 2020.

Council members received a virtual tour of the wellness facility Monday night and were excited to see how months of planning have evolved.  Councilman Bennett Smith, who has been part of a planning committee with Mayor Nelson Crabb, said he feels the facility will help to retain, as well as draw young families into the community.

Chad Schreck, leader of the North Iowa Corridor Ecomonic Development Corp. agreed, adding the wellness center will be a strong asset to show business leaders considering locating in the Clear Lake area.

The wellness center will feature a welcome area, cafe and concession area, indoor playground, locker rooms, saunas, wrestling room, weight room and studio spaces for classrooms on its main level, in addition to a 47,000-plus square foot field house which has a 200 meter, four-lane track with a six-lane straight away backstretch.  Its turf field will be striped for soccer and football.  Inside the track area there will also be two hardwood basketball courts and three multi-purpose courts for games such as pickle ball, decided by retractable curtains.

The second level includes the elevated walking track, space for weight machines and cardio equipment, as well as two studio spaces for classes.

Huffman explained the second level is essentially dedicated to community uses and noted the area could be used even if students were practicing on the lower level.

The wellness center will be constructed on the south side of the high school building, connecting to the building’s locker rooms and gymnasium.  The school district is handling the majority of design, construction and financing of the project, while the city will handle day-to-day operations, staffing and general maintenance of the facility.

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