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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/20/1990, 8 - CONSIDERATION OF A LETTER FROM THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER PROPOSING TO LEASE SUNNY ACRES TO ME nNG DAA nraw city of san luis owp0 _ Feb. 20 1990- MarmO COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT �. FROM: Michael P. Dolder, Fire Chief SUBJECT: Consideration of a Letter From the County Administrative Officer Proposing to Lease Sunny Acres to the City for $1.00 Per Year. CAO RECOMMENDATION: By motion decline the County's lease offer and authorize staff to send a letter to the County Administrative Officer requesting that the County give further consideration to preserving, rehabilitating, or reusing its own historical building. OVERVIEW The County has offered to lease the Sunny Acres building to the City for $1.00 per year. Based on a consultant's report and field visits, City staff estimates that the Sunny Acres rehabilitation costs could be as high as $1,200,000. This project, although historically significant, was never included in our current capital improvement program. The conclusion of this report is that Sunny Acres does not measure up to the significance of other capital projects currently underway or already planned. BACKGROUND The disposition or repair of the county-owned Sunny Acres building has been a subject of discussion over the past nine months. In May, 1989 (Attachment 1) , the Fire Chief notified the County to either secure the building, repair the hazards or abate the public safety hazard. Following this notice the Cultural Heritage Committee (CHC) in July, 1989 received a presentation from Mr. Robert Vessely, a local civil engineer, and others concerning the preservation, restoration and rescue of the building. In response to this public input, the CHC sent a letter to the City Council (dated July 12, 1989) stating that the Sunny Acres building is an important asset to the community and urging its preservation. The CHC suggested the City Council send the Board of Supervisors a letter supporting the preservation and reuse of the structure. The City Council responded to the CHC's suggestion by sending a letter to the Board of Supervisors (dated July 25, 1989) stating in part that: "We (the Council) support the preservation, rehabilitation, and reuse of the building and oppose its demolition." In October, .1989, the CHC and the Architectural Review Commission considered a proposal by Mr. Vessely that the City support the funding of a rehabilitation study of the Sunny Acres building. The purpose of the study would be to determine the physical and fiscal feasibility of - rehabilitation, and to study the reuse of the structuxR ft �sD public activities. G i� CITY CLERK �• L SAN LUIS OBISPO.CA 'Q City Of Sari LUIS OBISPO COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Mr. Vessely estimated that the study would cost approximately $7,000 and the City's contribution to the effort would be about $2,000. In November, both the CHC and the ARC sent forward recommendations to the City Council suggesting the Mayor forward a letter to the County Board of Supervisors offering funding support (up to $2,000) for a rehabilitation study of the Sunny Acres building. The County of San Luis Obispo, for a variety of reasons, is not interested in preserving or rehabilitating the Sunny Acres Building. Since 1974, the building has been problematic for the County and its continued existence under County control is not seen as beneficial to their best interest. The County supported this position in a letter dated December, 1989 (Attachment 2) . The County is, therefore, considering two options: 1. Lease the building to the City of San Luis Obispo on a long term basis, at one dollar per year. The City would then control the destiny of the building; or 2. Subject to Board of Supervisors' approval, demolish the building. This is the most cost effective option available to the County. As follow-up to option one and the recommendation of the CHC and ARC to undertake a rehabilitative study, City staff from the Fire Department and Community Development Department, which included the interim Community Development Director, Chief Building Official, Fire Chief, Fire Marshal and Fire Protection Engineer, toured Sunny Acres on December 15, 1989. The facility tour provided City staff with the opportunity to evaluate structural conditions, vandalism, electrical conditions, fire protection, fire damage and the general layout of the building. Because of the reported asbestos contamination all staff . entered the building wearing full protective clothing and respiratory protection. A City Council subcommittee consisting of Vice-Mayor Reiss and Councilman Roalman toured Sunny Acres on January 10, 1990 to view the building and its structural condition. The results of these visits are as follows: ASBESTOS The most recent asbestos evaluation was completed on June 20, 1989 by Enviro Group (Attachment 3) . A total of twenty bulk samples were obtained from the two story Sunny Acres building. Eleven of these samples tested positive for asbestos. Three of these samples were of the friable nature which are designated as a hazardous material. The friable asbestos is found on pipe insulation on both floors, the boiler room water tank, dirt floors in the crawl spaces and throughout the second floor areas which are highly contaminated due to vandalism and fire damage. 11111111r, It/ of san ltA.i omsp0 COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT The Enviro Group report concludes that until asbestos debris is - removed, only asbestos trained workers wearing respiratory protection should be allowed into these areas. As of July 25, 1989, the removal and disposal of the asbestos contamination was estimated at $42,000. which includes industrial hygiene project monitoring and air sampling costs. FIRE DAMAGE During 1989 the Fire Department responded to Sunny Acres seven times for fire emergencies. Fire has completely destroyed the building's electrical service and caused significant structural damage to the second floor lounge area and the first floor area directly below the lounge (Attachment 4) . Currently, a 20' x 20' hole exists in the second floor lounge area which further restricts the safe movement of persons between the dining area and the left and right corridors. Structural penetrations to walls, ceilings, crawl spaces and floor areas caused by vandalism and water damage creates the potential for rapid fire spread throughout the building. In addition, Firefighters entering the building are subjected to the existing friable asbestos contamination as well as barred and metal screened windows which limits the safe ingress and egress of emergency workers. FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS The cost of rehabilitating the fire protection systems is estimated to range between $175,000 and $375,000 and includes the following: 1. The existing fire sprinkler system has been severely damaged and would need replacement. Approximate Cost - $25, 000. 2. The existing fire alarm system has been severely damaged and would need to be replaced. .Approximate Cost - $50,000. 3 . The access road to the building does not meet the minimum 20' requirements and is not capable of handling the 45, 000 lbs. load requirements. Also, either an 86' cul-de-sac, or other turn- around would need to be provided. The costs of theroad and turn- around need further research since the proposed lease does not include specific information regarding roads or parking. 4. At least one additional fire hydrant will be needed including upgrading water mains to meet the required fire flow of the building. Additional staff work will be required in order to estimate the costs of -water system improvements. However, rough costs for roadway, parking and waterline improvements are in the $100, 000 to $300,000 range. O ' u �N city Or S&I LUIS OBISPO CO NCIL AGENDA REPORT° SECURITY During .1989, the Police Department responded to Sunny Acres 17 times for a variety of reasons. The County has barricaded all exterior openings with metal bars, screens and plywood. However, persons continue to penetrate the structure exposing themselves to structural hazards and asbestos hazards, and continue to cause the needless response of public safety resources. Little can be done to improve the security efforts already undertaken by the County except to completely surround the building with a cyclone fence topped with security wire and/or install a security alarm. STRUCTURAL CONDITION The Chief Building Official's preliminary evaluation of Sunny Acres (Attachment 5) concludes that the building is clearly constructed of unreinforced brick masonry. Physical evidence includes exterior walls constructed with a "header" course of brick every six to eight "stretcher" courses and arched lintels at window and door openings. There also appears to be an almost continuous structural crack in the exterior wall at a point below the top of the parapet where the wall. and roof diaphragm are connected. The R.L. Schafer and Associates preliminary structural evaluation dated July, 1975 also concludes that the building is constructed with unreinforced masonry exterior walls and footing. However, Mr. Vessely in a letter to the City Council (Attachment 6) concludes that based on circumstantial evidence (i.e. the architect of this building had previously used reinforcement steel in other structures) this building is reinforced. The City's Chief Building Official concludes that this building will require structural strengthening to satisfy seismic standards, abatement of the asbestos hazard, complete replacement of the electrical service and all electrical systems, major overhaul of the plumbing system, installation of complete heating and ventilation system, structural alterations to modify "jail cells", replacement of all exterior windows and doors, renovation of stairways and exits, modification to provide handicap access and complete re-roofing of the structure. The Chief Building Official estimates a $75. to $100. per sq. ft. renovation cost for the 7,800 sq. ft. building. ESTIMATED COSTS OF RENOVATION, REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS: Sprinklers $25,000 Fire Alarm $50,000 Roadway Access and Hydrant System Waterline $100,000 - $300,000 Structural and Mechanical $590,000 - $780,000 I Asbestos Removal $42, 000 (6 month old estimate) TOTAL ESTIMATED COST OF REMODEL, RENOVATION, FIRE SYSTEM AND ASBESTOS REMOVAL $807,000 - $1, 197, 000 'IlanNO City Of san luiti owspo COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BUILDING AND POSSIBLE USES Mr. Vessely, in his letter, suggests that the cost of asbestos removal might be limited to $28,000 for removal of material around the hot water heater and water pipes. Mr. Vessely's letter also speaks to the structural condition of the building, and the rehabilitation cost estimates. He has suggested a more thorough study be done to develop a more precise cost estimate. If the additional information is seen as desirable in reaching a decision, the City could continue to support the preservation of the building, but delay any action on the County's lease offer pending the completion of additional rehabilitation and reuse studies. (These types of studies are the ones that the ARC and CHC have suggested that the City participate in funding -- $2,000 maximum City share. ) In its letter to the City Council dated July 12, 1989, the CHC identified the following reasons for considering the Sunny Acres building culturally significant: 1. Its designer was from a family of. important architects. (The building was designed by the William Moser Company of San Francisco, established 1852. ) 2. The building is an important architectural feature of the community's landscape. 3. The architectural detailing of the building is significant. i 4. It is a surviving element of a social service once provided in the community. Neither the Cultural Heritage Committee, nor the ARC, specifically evaluated the possible reuse of the structure. The reuse of the structure was to be part of the recommended consultant study previously referenced. However, there is citizen interest (Attachment 7 and 8) in using the building and surrounding grounds for a natural history museum and surrounding botanical gardens. IMPACTS OF ACCEPTING THE COUNTY'S LEASE OFFER In the late 1970's the County made a number of lease offers to the City; each offer was in the amount of $1.00 per year. The lease offers were for Cuesta Park, the Veteran's Memorial- Building and the Airport. In each case the City evaluated the specific site and turned down the lease offer. The County's current $1.00 per year lease offer for Sunny Acres does not address parking or access roads needed for improving the building nor does the lease offer discuss what happens to the site if General Hospital is expanded or relocated. If the City Council does not turn down the lease offer and would like to pursue the lease option, then parking, access roads and long term use will need further clarification. In addition, accepting the County's lease offer also MY Of S . LUIS OBISPO jIIIIING9 COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT brings with it the issue of site and building improvement costs which are estimated to be on the order of $1,000,000. or more. The City would also incur the liability of the asbestos contamination and future exposure claims which might result because of trespassers. The costs to the City in assuming sole responsibility for the building's rehabilitation would be significant. Options for dividing the costs between the City, County and public groups interested in reuse of the structure could be pursued. There also may be support from the Board of Supervisors for establishing some form of cost- sharing rehabilitation program, although the potential for this is unknown at this time. Accepting Sunny Acres as an individual project may seem quite reasonable. However, the addition of another major capital project should be considered as part of the City's overall capital program. Some current City projects either underway or already under City ownership are as follows: CITY BALL EXPANSION CORPORATION YARD IMPROVEMENTS FIRE STATION ONE REPLACEMENT MISSION PLAZA EXTENSION RAILROAD PROPERTY ACQUISITION PERFORMING ARTS CENTER SENIOR CENTER -_ RECREATION CENTER OPEN SPACE ACQUISITION The City has already taken responsibiltiy for other more historical buildings which need refurbishment, or buildings requiring earthquake improvements. The cost of preserving these buildings is significant and the restorations would be impacted by the addition of the Sunny Acres project. Some examples are as follows: CARNEGIE LIBRARY (Earthquake and Handicap Access) BLACK RESIDENCE (Dana Street) RODRIGUEZ ADOBE (Edna/Islay) MURRAY ADOBE (Earthquake) JACK ROUSE CITY HALL (Earthquake) 955 MORRO (Earthquake) Not included in this list of capital projects is the Biddle House. Past Council discussion has included the possibility of acquiring the Biddle House which is currently under private ownership and up for sale. The City can never have sufficient financial resources to protect all historical structures and undertake unlimited capital projects. Therefore, before additional City resources, including staff time, are committed to Sunny Acres, the City Council should consider the project in the context of all current capital projects and those capital projects which might be considered in the near future. �- My Of san W,s owpo COUNCIL AGENOA REPORT CONCURRENCES Input and concurrence was received from the Police, Fire, Public Works, Planning and Building Departments. ALTERNATIVES 1. By motion decline the County's lease offer and authorize staff to send a letter to the County Administrative Officer requesting that the County give further consideration to preserving, rehabilitating, or reusing its own historical building. 2. Direct staff to obtain more information on the lease offer. regarding parking, access roads and long term use of the site. 3. Direct staff to pursue a cooperative rehabilitation study on a shared cost basis with the County and public groups with the City's cost not to exceed $2, 000. PRO/CON OF ALTERNATIVES 1. The Sunny Acres building rehabilitation is a major capital project which has not been considered as a part of the City's Capital Improvement Plan. This alternative would eliminate the need for further consideration and would allow the City to concentrate on approved capital projects and projects that are already in progress which may require additional funding (i.e. Recreation Center .and Mission Plaza extension) . By turning down the lease, the County could act on the option to demolish the building unless citizen groups can convince the Board of Supervisors to consider rehabilitation. The City's letter would emphasize the need for the County to give further consideration for taking responsibility for its own historical building. No additional staff time will be required. 2. The County's lease offer does not include specifics on parking, access roads or long- term use. Clarification of these issues will provide Council with the background information necessary to commit to funding a rehabilitation study. Staff time necessary to complete this alternative is estimated to be approximately 20 hours. Depending on the information derived from discussions with the County, significantly greater staff time could be anticipated. 3. At this point neither the County nor public groups have committed to funding the rehabilitation study nor has the City formally contacted the County to consider their position on the study. Completing any study without clarifying the parking, access, and lease term issues would be premature. The Sunny Acres project is not part of the City's capital projects and would require a general fund appropriation. Staff time required to reach a cooperative agreement to complete an outside study could be between 40 and 80 hours. 8'/ II 4 city of S&-. .UIS OBISpo = COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT RECOMMENDATION By motion decline the County's lease offer and authorize staff to send a letter to the County Administrative Officer requesting that the County give further consideration to preserving, rehabilitating, or reusing its own historical building. ATTACHMENTS Attachment 1 - Fire Chief's Letter to the County Attachment 2 - County Administrator's Lease Offer Attachment 3 - Enviro Group Report Attachment 4 - Floor Diagram of Sunny Acres Attachment 5 - Chief Building Official's Report on Sunny Acres Attachment 6 - Mr. Vessely's Letter Attachment 7 - Letter from Karen Beckwith Attachment S - Letter from Marianne Michels Attachment 9 - Letter from Robert Vessely I 8'� At _ ch ent ���N�I�IIIPflIiIIIU I �!!!IIII�p I � ��� ����� ►��� Cl O SAI'1iS OBIS FIRE.DEPARTMENT 748 Pismo Street•San Luis Obispo,CA 93401 •8051549-7380 May 25, 1989 George Rosenberger, Deputy Director General Services County Government Center San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 RE 2170 Johnson, Sunny Acres Dear Mr. Rosenberger. The San Luis Obispo City Fire Department has responded to five calls at the old Juvenile Hall, Sunny Acres, since January 1, 1989. The most recent of these calls was a fire in the complex on 5/24/89. We have become very concerned about responding to this complex due to several dangers in the building. Fust, the building is known to have asbestos in the plaster, pipe insulation and possibly in the flooring. Asbestos is a known carcinogen and a danger to anyone who inhales the product. This is especially true for Firefighters who have to use saws to cut through the floors and walls to extinguish fres. At the 5/24/89 fire we had 6 Firefighters who were exposed to the asbestos. All Fire Department clothing, and equipment worn at the incident required decontamination. Not only was this decontamination a very time consuming and expensive process; the entire incident was preventable. A second danger presented by this building is the lack of security and unauthorized persons who frequent the - building. Not only do the unauthorized persons start fires but we are concerned that we will respond to the building and be confronted by people wishing to harm anyone who disturbs their activities. In talking with the Police Department they share this same concern, and have in the past asked that the building be either secured or removed We agree with their assessment. The abandoned building appears to have little structural value and is a public nuisance as well as a health and safety risk. We do not believe that it is prudent to risk possible injury, carcinogenic exposure, or death of a Firefighter in this building. We therefore, request that this building be either secured in such a fashion that entry cannot be made from any point and an alarm system be installed to further secure the building. As people are the only source of ignition in the buildin& proper security should stop all fire calls to this building. If adequate security cannot be provided we request that the building be removed if either of these options are not acceptable and the County wishes to leave the building in its present condition our City has no option other than to stop responding to fire calls at this site. The County can arrange to have fire protection provided by the County Fire Department. Our dispatch center can easily transfer calls concerning this location to the County Fire Department We do not wish to take this action, but the safety of our employees is of the utmost concern. We would like you to resolve this problem by July 1, 1989. If you have any questions pertaining to our concerns, please contact me. Very truly yours, & Michael Dolder Fire Chief CC. Vicki Fm icane, City Attorney John Dunn, CAO - Jim Gardiner, Police Chief _Attachment County of San Luis Ohispo COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER • SAN LUSS OBISPO,CALIFORNIA 93408 (805)549 011 December 8, 1989 OFFI(T OF TH F. Cc N VII'ADMINIS FRAFOR San Luis Obispo City Administration City Hall 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA. 93401 Attn: John Dunn SUNNY ACRES BUILDING Dear John, It has come to our attention that the City Council has expressed an interest in preserving the old Juvenile Hall called Sunny Acres. Staff informs me that they will shortly be considering a recommendation from the Cultural Heritage Committee and the Architectural Review Committee to allocate $2,000 of City funds as a 25% contribution toward a County sponsored rehabilitation study. This letter is intended to summarize and inform you of discussions between County staff and the Board of Supervisors concerning the Sunny Acres Building. The County, for a variety of reasons, does not share the preservation perspective your Council may currently hold. The building has been problematic for the County and its continued existence under County control is not seen as beneficial to the County's interests. The following points are given in support of this perspective: ° The building was originally abandoned because of strong indications of unreinforced masonry construction, age, and limited efficiency options in its design. ° The County Board of Supervisors delayed decisions on its future pending a clearer view of long range Hospital planning. ° The Sunny Acres building has been the scene of deviant behavior over the years since its closure. Such activity continues today in spite of some rather extraordinary efforts to secure the building. The San Luis Obispo Police Department and Fire Department are very familiar with this building and its rather colorful history as a vacant structure. ° The building has been analyzed for asbestos and has been labeled. dangerous because of friable asbestos throughout its interior. RECEIVED DEC 1 910 John Dunn December 8, 1989 Page two The building has sustained structural damage from numerous ' fires set by transients or satanic rituals. Your fire department has complained of the difficulty to get into the building to fight these fires because of how secure the County has made the building. Clearly, the wrong element has figured out how to get in (they punch holes in the roof) while the fire and police departments have great difficulty gaining access. ° It is anticipated a rehabilitation of the building will be costly and would . essentially require constructing a building within the exterior walls in order to preserve its exterior appearance. This would be. difficult and _very costly when compared to constructing the same floor space in a new building. ° Even after the building is renovated, its reuse would be restricted by limitations in its design. It was designed and built as a detention facility and would present an architectural challenge to change to another use. The only motivation to preserve the building would seem to be from an architectural or historical perspective. Staff has explored the historical perspective and has not found any special interest in the building by the Historical Society. While we are not insensitive to the design and architectural perspective, it must be considered within the restrictions of County financing and space needs. The County does not currently have a Hospital Master Plan. Therefore the potential for reuse of the Sunny Acres building is unknown.. Also unknown is whether the continued existence of the building will present an impediment to future hospital growth and development. However, staff is of the opinion that the building and a portion of the surrounding grounds could be sectioned off without seriously effecting future hospital development. The County has no interest in redeveloping this building. It would not be cost effective to do so. There appears to only be two options to consider at this point: 11 . Lease it to the City of San Luis Obispo for a long term at $1/yr.Leasing it to the City would allow you to control its destiny. 2. In the absence of a lease with the City, the General Services Director is prepared to recommend the building's demolition to the Board of Supervisors, as the most cost effective method of dealing with the many problems associated with using this building and on—going liability exposure the County must endure while the building remains vacant. i u John Dunn December 8, 1989 Page three I would be happy to meet with you and other City officials to discuss these issues in detail at your convenience. ROBERT HENDRIX County Administrator c - Board of Supervisors Duane Leib, General Services Director 3319P/ss 12/15 DGXZ7RIAL HYGIENE'SERVICES 3190 Old Tunad Road L L2hycae U 94544151930$282415/930A Attachment ~ July 25, 1989 $ County of San Luis Obispo Dept. of General Services County Government Center San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 Attn: Mr. Gene Johnson Re: Asbestos Survey @ Former "Sunny Acres" Juvenile Hall Dear Mr. Johnson: Enclosed is the report of the environmental survey conducted at the above designated location on June 20, 1989. I believe the report is self explanatory. However, if there are any questions, or if we can-be of any further service, please do not hesitate to contact me. Cordially, „i�5c��✓I � l rant A. Cody I.H. �?•/3 INTRODUCTION This report details an asbestos survey conducted at the former "Sunny Acres" Juvenile Hall, San Luis Obispo, CA on June 20, 1989. This site was visually surveyed by an Industrial Hygienist from EnviroGroup by physically entering all accessible building spaces as permitted by the representative from the County of San Luis Obispo. The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the property for ' P Y asbestos containing materials designated in the California Director's List of Hazardous.Materials. The environmental survey was conducted by Grant Cody (I.H.) from EnviroGroup at the request of Mr. Gene Johnson, County of San Luis Obispo, CA. The onsite contact from the County of San Luis Obispo was Mr. Jerry Lewis. The entire building was abandoned, locked up and had been labeled hazardous. SUMMARY OF RESIILTS A total of twenty bulk samples were obtained from the two story "Sunny Acres" building, Sao Luis Obispo, CA to verify the presence of asbestos containing materials. Eleven samples tested positive for asbestos content. Three of the eleven samples that tested positive for asbestos content are of friable nature. Friable asbestos is designated in the State of California Director's List of Hazardous Materials. Bulk samples were analyzed by EnviroGroup using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) polarized light microscopy (PLM) method. The results of this analysis are listed in the tables at the end- of this report. A more detailed discussion of these materials can be found in the following sections. EQUIPMENT AND STUDY PROCEDURES This site was visually surveyed by an industrial hygienist from EnviroGroup by physically entering all accessible building spaces. Bulk samples were taken where it was deemed necessary. Bulk samples were collected in sealable plastic bags and returned to EnviroGroup for analysis by the U.S. EPA polarized light microscopy (PLM) method. • 1 DISCUSSION An asbestos survey was 'conducted at the former "Sunny Acres" Juvenile Hall, San Luis Obispo, CA. This two story, common brick and stucco building was constructed in 1931 and contains an inactive thermal system with steam lines insulated with friable asbestos. A total of twenty physical bulk samples were collected in order to quantify the potential asbestos content of various building materials. One hot water tank with a friable asbestos insulating blanket exists in the mechanical room on the first floor. The hot water tank is insulated with a 2" thick blanket that measures 246" dia. x 10' long. Approximately 950 linear feet of 3" dia. ACM pipe insulation exists on the first floor basement area. This material is in fair condition. Vertical pipe runs extrude through the floor from the first floor to supply the heating radiators on the second floor. These pipe lines run vertical in the north, south hallways and in the walls between rooms #d, 5 b 6. The pipelines are insulated with 3" friable asbestos and amount to approximately 60 linear feet. Approximately 300 linear feet of 6" diameter friable asbestos pipe insulation exists in the ceiling crawl space on the second floor. The 6" diameter piping runs north-south in the central hallway and branches off in three different areas. The 6" pipe insulation is significantly damaged in room #10 and should not be disturbed by untrained personnel. Approximately 720 square feet of vinyl asbestos floor tile exists on the 1st floor and approximately 2580 square feet of asbestos containing floor the exists on the 2nd floor. The fibrous mud roofing compound on the roof risers and parapet tested positive for asbestos containing materials. Approximately 528 linear feet of the fibrous mud roofing compound exist on the roof area of the two story building. The vinyl -asbestos floor tiles and the fibrous mud roofing compound are both considered non-friable forms of asbestos and have been excluded from the State of California Directors List of Hazardous Materials so long as they do not become friable. Sampling locations and numbers can be seen on the attached set of plans. RECOMMENDATIONS Complete removal of all friable ACBM is mandatory when building demolition or renovation is planned. Removal is advisable when 2 friable ACH insulation has been significantly damaged or is in an area where damage is likely to occur. Repair of damaged ACM insulations is sometimes an option, but the potential for problems still exists. As per the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emissions standards for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAPS) (40 CFR supart K) . Iv standards for demolition or renovation , A. Facilities with more than 260 linear feet of friable ACM pipe insulation or 160 square feet of friable ACM wall or ceiling insulation (to be removed within one year on renovation projects for emergency removal operations) . I. Notify EPA administrator in writing. a. Postmark 1. 10 days prior to demolition. 2• ASAP prior to renovation. b. Reporting 1. Name and address of owner or operator. 2. Description of Facility. 3. Approximate amount of ACM. 4. Location of Facility. 5. Construction schedule_ I 6. Description of work_ 7. ACK removal procedure. S. Name and location of deposal site. B. Demolition of buildings with less than 260 linear feet of friable ACAS pipe insulation or less than 160 square feet of friable ACM ceiling or wall insulation. I. Notify EPA administrator in writing: a. Postmark or deliver 20 days prior. b. Report same as before except that details of removal and disposal not required. 2. Removal and disposal are not regulated. 3 8.1G C. Emergency demolition ordered by government. 1. Notify EPA administrator in writing. a. ASAP before demolition., b. Report same information as for °A" except that name, title, and authority ordering demolition must be included. FRIABLE MATERIALS Repair of ACM is sometimes more desirable due to monetary considerations. Complete removal is, however, an option that is always open. to the owner. If repair is implemented, then inspections should be performed by qualified personnel on a regular basis to ensure that additional damage or deterioration has not been incurred. The dirt floors of the crawl spaces beneath the building are slightly contaminated with debris which has fallen from the insulated pipes or discarded during previous plumbing work. Many areas on the second floor have highly contaminated areas due to vandalism and fire damage_ Until this debris is removed by qualified personnel, only asbestos trained workers wearing respiratory protection should be allowed into these areas. The pipe insulation on., both floors and in the crawl spaces have open ends and are torn in many areas. A minimal action would be to repair by encapsulation. NON-FRIABLE MATERIALS The vinyl asbestos floor. tiles located on the first and second floors are in fair to bad condition. This material has been excluded from the Director's List of Hazardous Materials due to its non-friable nature. The roofing felt materials occurring on this building is in good condition. This material has also been excluded from the State of California Director's List of Hazardous Material. Due to its non-friable nature. The transite pipe ,that protrudes from the water heater on the east side of the second floor through the roof is in fair condition. This material has also been excluded from the Director's List of Hazardous Materials. Should the non-friable asbestos containing building materials require removal then it is recommended that the work be accomplished by a licensed asbestos contractor. 4 REMOVAL C09TS As a courtesy to our customers we sometimes estimate the approximate construction costs for asbestos abatement projects. The following estimated costs for removal are based on a linear and square foot of material basis only. Actual removal costs may be less due to the competitive bidding process of contractors. Description Estimated costs Vinyl asbestos floor tile $5,445 - 3, 300 square feet @ $1.65/sq. ft. Asbestos pipe insulation $23,938 - 1,310 linear feet @ $19.80/linear ft. Asbestos water tank jacket $30696. - 84 square feet @ $44.00/sq. ft. Fibrous asbestos roof compound 51,162_ _ 528 linear feet @ $2.20/linear ft. Total Cost $360241. These costs are inclusive of all estimated contractor costs including: labor, materials, taxes, overhead, insurance, travel & disposal fees_ The costs assume clean up and removal of all asbestos debris from all areas and disposal fees. Clearance of the areas will be a visual inspection and phase contrast microscopy (PCM) air samples. Industrial hygiene project monitoring and air sampling costs to be conducted by a staff IH under the supervision of a CIH. These costs are $6,000. These cost include Iff on site monitoring, and air sampling (PCM) and travel. Cordially, Gra e}�►-- I.H. J • 5 8-gig INIX5rRUL HYGIENE SERVICES 3190 Old 71wml Road ` R Uftyctgr.CA 94549 415/9308282 j Table 1 County of Sun Luis Obispo General Services Co. Government Center, Room 460 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 Attn: Gene Johnson Sample Received: 06/29/89 Report Date: 06/29/89 EnviroGroup No. 890253-3 Purchase Order No. 88098 SAMPLE IDENTIFICATION ASBESTOS OTHER COMPONENTS SAMPLE CLIENT # DESCRIPTION TYPE $ TYPE 1035 Palm Street, San Luis Obispo, CA - 6/20/89 ' Mechanical Room, Basement floor level E-7088 Hot water tank ,5=10 amosite 90-95 quartz, calcite, in boiler room clay,fiberglass, misc. particles E-7089 Pipe lagging 10-15 chrysotile 85-90 magnesia, quartz, material from pipes misc. particles extruding from hot water heater E-7090 Ceiling plaster <1 none detected 100 quartz, calcite, sample obtained from cellulose,misc. Mechanical room particles E-7091 Floor tile sample 3-5 chrysotile 95-97 resin, tar, obtained from S. end misc. particles of basement (beige tiles) E-7092 Sample obtained 10-15 chrysotile 85-90 magnesia,quartz, from hallway N.-S. misc. particles Approx. 900 L.F of 4" dia. pipe lagging. Throughout basement crawl space. E-7093 Sample obtained <1 none detected 100 quartz, misc. from plaster from wall particles in wire mesh outside of Mechanical room D_�9 Page No. 2 Cont. SAMPLE IDENTIFICATION ASBESTOS OTHER COMPONENTS CLIENT SAMPLE # LOCATION t TYPE TYPE E-7094 Floor sheet 3-5 chrysotile 95-97 resin, synthetic mat'l from bedroom N.E. fibers, mise. room adjacent to entry to particles building E-7095 Wiring insulation <1 none detected 100 resin, synthetic obtained from burned fibers, misc. up electrical panel - 10' particles E-7096 Sample obtained <1 none detected 100 quartz, misc. from wall on N. end of particles basement Main Ploor E-7097 Sheeting floor 1-2 chrysotile 98-99 resin, synthetic material -from central fibers, misc. area near fire place" particles both sides E. area - 35' x 20' W. area - 25' x 40' L E-7098 Sample beige 3-5 chrysotile 95-97 resin, misc. floor tile from cell particles room #16 ' E-7099 Sample beige 3-5 chrysotile 95-97 resin, misc. floor tile from cell particles room. #15 E-7100 Sample wall <1 none detected 100 quartz, calcite, plaster South hallway misc. particles typical throughout building E-7101 Sample red & 3-5 chrysotile 95-97 resin, tar white checkered floor misc. particles tile from room #9 shower room E-7102 Sample of 40-50 chrysotile 50-60 quartz, misc. transite pipe extending particles from hot water heater East end of building O �� A t achment o • OiL Da oZ a � po U � NPI 171 , " Q rT N pN� I o J-y o o t a L H ❑9r W a.. . L-jo Q �� •© IQC :F•=:_:;. 110 --ter ._ ® �l /� /•t : I Q � w � V J Q ~ N i II lu iL o J Q =40 3 - � � o u - Attachment 5 II III cit c c� Of luis 1-VD 40VO 4% _z- 990 Palm Street/Post Office Box 8100 • San Luis Obispo, CA 93403-8100 January 10,1990 MEMORANDUM To: Mike Dolder, Fire Chief From: Tom Baasch, Chief Building Official Subject: Inspection of "Sunny Acres" As a participant in the joint inspection conducted at the"Sunny Acres" building located at the General Hospital complex, 1 offer the following comments: The structure is clearly constructed of unreinforeed brick masonry. Evidence include, exterior walls with a "header" course of brick at approximately every six to eight "stretcher" courses and arched lintels at window and door openings. There appears to be an almost continuous structural crack in the exterior masonry wall at a point below the top of the parapet where the wall and the roof diaphragm are connected. Roof tile on the sloped roof sections is extensively damaged or completely missing in numerous areas. Attempts to secure openings into the building have created significant damage where anchors and fasteners are/were attached to the brick masonry. All exterior glazing appears to be broken, as well as the majority of the window and door frames. The interior of the structure has been extensively vandalized and damaged by fire. Plaster has been beaten from interior partitions throughout the building. A fire in the large room at the center of the building burned through the floor and supporting structural members, resulting in a hole approximately 10 feet in diameter. Fire has also destroyed the main electrical service panel. Electrical systems throughout the building have been vandalized beyond repair,and those sections which remain undamaged are antiquated. Plumbing fixtures and piping have also been damaged by vandalism. Structural deterioration due to moisture is prevalent due to failed roof covering and lack of opening protection at exterior walls. Use of this building will require abatement of the asbestos hazard, structural strengthening to satisfy seismic standards, complete replacement of the electric service and all electrical systems, major overhaul of the plumbing system, installation of complete heating.ano ventilation systems, structural alterations to modify "jail cells" into more usable spaces, replacement of all exterior windows and doors,complete reroofing, replacement or significant overhaul of the fire sprinkler system, renovation, of stairways and exiting systems to meet current code standards, and modifications to provide handicapped accessibility. Our experience suggests that the scope of work required would cost between $75 and $100 per square foot. cc Randy Rossi sunacres/tb C RF�,�t�ir� • ' 1 ----•. Robert S. Vessely, RCE Civil Engineering pi . I o-.3 Z__ 738 Hguera Street, Suite D San Luis Oblspc, California 93401 ;41.2003 January 15 , 1990 Mr . Bill Roalman , Councilmember j City of San Luis Obispo 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, California 93401 RE: Sunny Acres Bill , I understand that the County has formally offered the Sunny Acres building to the City for a nominal rent. I also under- stand that there is some mis-information circulating about . the building that ought to be corrected . For instance: Asbestos in the buildinq . It had been thought that this building was a serious environmental hazard due to the pres- ence of asbestos in nearly every portion of the structure. The County has recently received a report, dated July 25. 1989 by Enviro Group, Industrial Hygiene Services of Lafayette , California which shows that the only "friable" and therefore hazardous asbestos is confined to the insulation around the water heater and hot water pipes. Enviro Group estimated that the removal and disposal of this material would cost about $28,000 . The structural condition of the building. Despite claims that the building was abandoned due to structural concerns, the record shows that incompatibility with the neighborhood played a major role in preventing -the County from expanding the former juvenile hall . Based on circumstantial evidence. I believe that the building is structurally sound and would require only minor improvements to bring it into line with current codes. My evidence is the fact that the Architect of this building , Uilliam ilooser was also an engineer and he had been incorporating earthquake considerations into his build- ings for years before Sunny Acres was built . Also, the condi - tion of the building , which shows virtually no evidence of structural problems is clear testimony to the integrity of the building . RECEIVED RECEVED JAha 1 7 19bu JAN 151990 CITY COUNCIL SAN LUIS OBISPO. CA 0•�� Uanda.11sm of the building. There is no question that the building has been heavily vandalized but should this be a reason to tear it down? The worst damage to date has been two fires that were set on the floor of the central room. The fires have burned thru the floor framing and partially dowry into the walls below. Uhile serious, it doesn ' t appear that this has "structura.11y" damaged the building . If the build- ing was in use rather than the vacant, attractive nuisance that it is now, I believe this problem would cease . The Cost.. The County has estimated a cost of about $500 ,000 ' to rehabilitate the building including the necessary site work. I have suggested that a thorough study be prepared of the planning, architectural and , structural issues in order to develop a more precise cost estimate. The Significance of the bulld.ing . The Cultural Heritage Committee has found that the building has "Cultural Signifi - cance" to the City and together with the Architectural Review Commission has found enough importance in it to recommend that the City participate in a rehabilitation study. I urge you to listen to this advice and explore all the options available for the preservation of this fine example of our 0 heritage. A proposal teas been made to turn Sunny Acres into a natural history museum. I believe that you will soon be hearing from an .active group of citizens organized to promote this. I think it is an excellent idea considering the possibilities for- a c=onnection with the City 's open space plan . The question of the City/County relationship also comes up. I understand that the County is tired of dealing. uith this building and could be annoyed with the City for getting involved. But if we can put our differences aside, I believe that this protect could turn out to be a shining example of how much the two agencies can do if they work together , simi- lar to the library. Imagine, a City/County Natural History Museum with open space and trails up the hill behind. I urge you to give this process a chance. I suggest that the City accept the County's offer dependant on the outcome of a professional rehabilitation study. This will give the City and County time to develop the deal and we citizens time to search for sources of funding. If I can answer any questions., please don 't hesitate to call . Thank You , �VIO Robert S. U s ely , RCE p�9t� THE 'SUNNY ACRES" BUILDING, San Luis Obispo During the past year, I have been researching the Sunny Acres building on Johnson Avenue in San Luis Obispo, its designer and the construction tech- niques used at that time. 1 have �poVen with descendants of the Architect, architectural historians and local officials and my interest in the build- ing has been shown to be widely shared. Below is a summary of my research that I think may be of interest. Sunny Acres was built by the County of San Luis Obispo in 191 as a "chil- dren's home a home for orphans and wards of the court. The building was designed by William Mooser Company, Architects of San Francisco, and was remodeled in 1947 and again 19;,9. Over the years it gradually became the county juvenile detention facility and was used as such until it was aban- doned in 1974. ` The original architect, William Mooser Company, although not widely known, was a firm of substantial longevity. The firm was established in 1852 and was operated by three generations of the Mooser family until closing in 1969. Among the notable e>:amples o4 the Mooser Company's work are the courthouses in Santa Barbara, Contra Costa. Nevada. Calaveras, Stanislaus and Toulumne counties and the tower building in Ghirardelli square, the Grant-Geary Center, and the National Maritime Museum, all in San Francisco. During the time that Sunny Acres was designed, the Mooser firm was operated by William Mooser Jr. . who was an engineer and his son, William Mooser, III, who was a graduate of the Ecole des Beaux Arts of Paris. The structural integrity of the Sunny Acres building has been questioned. I believe, however that the building 15 sound for a number of reasons. First, the fact that William Mooser, Jr. was an engineer and was practicing in San Francisco at the time of the earthquake in 1906. Second, there are references to the generous use of reinforcing steel in the Santa Barbara Courthouse which was built five years before Sunny Acres. Third, the Mooser buildings in general are thought to be well constructed by those who have worked on them, for instance, Mr. Jim Delgado, of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area who restored a number of Mooser buildings for the National Pari; Service. And finally from the condition of the building itself, it is apparent that the building was thoroughly designed and well constructed despite its present condition. �,"'�'!. :�• . :Yrs"` .•� ./K• rr ��. 1 .T Robert S. Vessely, RCE January, 1989 7Z.8 Higuera Street, San Luis Obispo. California 97401 (805) 541-7007 ACt.�. 'lirnrant p� KAREN M. BECKWITH 641 Lawrence Drive San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 January 1.6, 1990 The Honorable Ron Dunin -- n — Mayor, City of San Luis Obispo i City Hall 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 C17 i•r;_';< Dear Mayor Dunin: It has come to my attention that the future of Sunny Acres is again being discussed . It.' s my ' ardent hope that the. City and County will look beyond the liabilities of the empty building or the commercial value of the land , to the more permanent , bene- ficial possibilities of both the building and the site. With the hills behind and our city spread below, and in a. building of historical significance , it would be a. grand location for a museum of natural history. Adjacent land could be main- tained as a botanical garden, to be used later for expansion of the museum if needed . This would, I think, eliminate concerns about the fire hazard and vandalism of the existing situation. Hillsides when properly landscaped make fine public parks (for example , the Berkeley Rose Garden and the U. C. Botanical Garden) . As to the benefits of a museum of natural history and its attractiveness to tourists visiting the area , I suggest a visit to Santa. Barbara ' s relatively small museum on any weekend . Has inquiry been made with either of Cal Poly' s landscape architecture or ornamental horticulture programs ; the Historical Society, or our county' s Native Plant Society as to their interest in participating in such a project? Please , let ' s assess public interest in this idea. After all , for those of us who live in the "flats" , and may never have the opportunity to live on the hili , sites like Sunny Acres are very special places . Thank you for your consideration . Sin erely, Karen M. Beckwith Taxpaying "Flatsdweller" and Exec. Secretary , SLO County Medical Society KB cc : County Supervisors 67_ 4 7 Attac' ment San Luis Coastal Unified School District 1499 SAN LUIS DRIVE 9 P.O. BOX 8124 SAN LUIS OBISPO. CA 93403 -8124 TELEPHONE 805 5 4 3-2 01 0 January 189 1990 Honorable Ron Dunin Mayor , City of San Luis Obispo P. 0. Box 8100 2 San Luis Obispo , CA93403-8100 CITY CLERK Dear Mayor During OF!!,%pro. C.;, I have been following the progress of Dr . Donald Smilovitz to transform Sunny Acress the empty juvenile detention building ) into a natural history museum and natural botanical garden area. I have been very interested in this effort because the plans he has suggested to me would be extremely valuable for elementary school children. As educatorsp we are trying to teach our children the value of conservation and appreciation of our natural -resources. Part of our instructional curriculum in grade three is to study the history of our local area and the life style of the Chumash Indians, a tribe that once lived in the county. I can' t think of a more viable contribution to our community than the possible transformation of Sunny Acres into a natural history museum with a Chuman display and a botanical garden of native plants. It would seem to be a wonderful project because of the interface that would be possible between our public school children, Cuesta College and Cal Poly. I can see us all working together to build this historical site within our community. Not only would it serve our school children, but also contribute knowledge and interest to our adults in the community and to so many of our tourists who visit San Luis Obispow I highly support all efforts that can be made toward preserving Sunny Acres and developing it into a museum and an open spate area for natural plants. We have the perfect opportunity in our community to have our own natural history museum. Sincerely, Il M? ela ianne Michels, Ed .D. Princ.ipal Pacheco School MM:sw cc : Evelyn Delany, San Luis County Board of Supervisors Pr _ nmmim District Superintendent IRV NIKOLA1,PhD. �VSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY San Luis Obispo Museum of Natural History Association dd 738 Higuera St., Suite D, San Luis Obispo, Ca 93401 iQ. p�pvAS chair. G'O!>dJG/L m mn Graham President Robert Vessdy, RCE Board of Duutom February 8, 1990 Georgia Lee Phd Franc Bost AJ. Bock Donald Smilovitz, MD Susan Devine Mr. Ron Dunin, Mayor RECEIVEG City of San Luis Obispo FEB 81990 990 Palm Street San Luis Obispo, California 93401 CITY CLERK SAN LUIS OBISPO,CA Mayor Dunin, I am writing you once againabout the Sunny Acres building but this time as President of the San Luis Obispo Museum of Natural History Association. Since you and I last spoke this Association has formed and as you can see we have a notable Board of Directors. We have some funds available and we're looking into the process of incorporation. I think this is a strong step forward. As we discussed before, I believe that Sunny Acres provides a unique opportunity for a variety of reasons. First, it gives us a chance to develop a natural history museum, an important part of the educational and cultural needs of our community on a beautiful site with easy access to open space. Second, it's an opportunity to save and return to use, a handsome old building, a part of our heritage. Third it's a chance for the City and County to cooperate on a pro,iect which clearly bene- fits both, similar to the library. What we have in mind is a museum of the biological and anthropological sciences avail- able to the whole county. The next meeting of our association is scheduled for the end of this month and at that meeting I 'd like to have a resolu- tion on some of the items that I and Dr. Smilovitz have dis- cussed with you. First of all , is the City in a position to match funds that we are able to raise for either a feasibil- ity study or for the actual rehabilitation of the building? Would the City coordinate the study or would it be appropri- ate for the County or our association to handle it? As you know the S.L.O. County Archaeological Society has offered Mayor Dunin, pg.2 $2000 towards the study and the Cultural Heritage Committee has requested that the same amount from their budget be made available. Second, can the City convince the County to make the land behind the building available for open space, outdoor exhi- bits or even a future expansion of the building? We need some time. I believe that the preparation of a feasi- bility study would give us the three to six months we need to develop our plans and to find sources of money. We are meeting again on the 28th of this month and you're more than welcome to attend. We're meeting at Dr. Smilovitz's office at 84 Santa Rosa Street at 7:00 PM. In the mean time I would appreciate written confirmation of these items from you. I look forward to hearing from you. We appreciate your support. If I can answer any questions, please don't hesitate to call . Sincerely , Robert S. ssely, RCE d-3o RECE'' -D FEB 2 0 1990 ` .MEETING AGENDA COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO DATEITEM # bepaptment of cEneml sEavicEs COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA 93408 •(805)549.5200 DUANE P. LEIB, DIRECTOR *Denotes action by Lead Person February 20, 1990 Respond by: Council A0 I(CMichael Dolder, Fire Chief �v Clerk-v4 City of San Luis Obispo Fire Dept. Daldw 748 Pismo St. 044 !4 San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 e 6L R �; . ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON "SUNNY ACRES" The attached letters from Fred H. Schott, Structural Engineer, are provided as additional information to the City. The County recently authorized Mr. Schott to do additional investigation of the masonry walls at the "Sunny Acres" Building (Old Juvenile Hall ) to further determine the presence of reinforcing steel . Nine (9) cores were drilled through the walls at locations selected by Mr. Schott. None of the nine cores produced reinforcing steel or cavity wall construction. i Mr. Schott concludes that in his professional opinion "that these walls are unreinforced." This supports the 1975 Structural Evaluation Report by Schafer & Assoc. and the County's long held opinion that the building is constructed of unreinforced masonry and is incapable of resisting lateral forces from a significant earthquake. If you need further information or have any questions, do not hesitate to contact Duane or I. tW R. GEORGE OSENBE GER Deputy Director of General Services Attachments c-Robert Hendrix, Co. Administrator jr/47430/J#1 IVE C E I V IRI) 3/2/90 rFL8 G 0 jogg snk:crry oa Fred H. Schott & Associates, Inc. CML&STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING•LAND PLANNING&ARCHITECTURE February 5 , 1990 Department of General Services County of San Luis Obispo County Government Center, Room 406 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 ATTN: Mr. Jim Chaney Subject: "Old Sunnyacres" Dear Jim: Per your request we have investigated the masonry walls -in the subject building to determine whether they are reinforced .or not. Reference is made to our letter to you dated January 29 , 1990 . Per you request we authorized Fred Muff Co. to do coring work on the walls. On February 2 , 1990 nine (9) cores were drilled through the walls at the approximate locations shown on the enclosed Figure 1 . Cores 2, 3, 5 , 6 , 8 and 9 were all drilled under the edge of window openings where reinforcing would most likely be located if the walls were reinforced. All of the cores showed 3 brick width solid masonry in a common brick pattern. None .of the cores ran into reinforcing, and there were no instances of cavity wall construction which is generally essential in reinforcing bri.ck masonry. The brick work 'is generally of excellent quality. The masonry units are fired brick and the mortar is cement mortar. With the exception of moderate weathering of some of the bricks and some of the mortar in the galls facing south, the bricks and mortar are generally in excellent shape. There are a few instances of missing brick and/or mortar-- primarily at door openings. There are no visible cracks in the walls and no other evidence of structural distress in the masonry. In conclusion the masonry walls are in excellent condition considering their age, but it is our professional opinion that these walls are unzeinforced. We hope that this letter satisfies your questions regarding the subject building. If you have any further questions in this matter please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerely yours, Fred H. Schott Enclosure FHS:nsb P,P.NiUtS OBlSPO OFFICE (805)544-1216 SANTA MARIA OFFICE (805)925-3Z :: As ;.". .. . . �,.,f, 2. _ "J�r�t( r ntxv:.'. ',at ,'1,n,, . . :.t• ... .. 1 •iy I �4 w l� --`-�-- A rA • O O C p jjj Y \ 1 x� :.yam '+t• Ott•�^'.^� • . Fred H. Schott & Associates, Inc. CML&STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING •LAND PLANNING&ARCWTECTURE January 29 , 1990 bepartment of General Services County of San Luis Obispo !'SO JA! 29 3: 1 ! County Government Center, Room 406 San Luis Obispo, CA 93408 .kTTN: Mr. Jim Chaney Subject: Sunny Acres Dear Jim: Per your request we have visited the subject building and reviewed the existing brick masonry construction from the exterior. We have also discussed the matter of how best to determine whether there is anv reinforcement in the walls and if so, how much, with sevetral testing laboratories. Our experience is that an "R Meter" is not effective in finding reinforcing in thick clay masonry walls. The existing masonry 4alls are 13 inches thick and the standard x-ray equipment is only capable of handling a thickness of 10 inches. A few years ago the Federal government prohibited transportation of x-ray equipment (cobalt type - capable of penetrating the 13 inch thickness) on highways except in Class A containers which are extremely expensive. Consequently, most testing agencies have discontinued this service. The nearest laboratory with the required equipment and `-ansportation containers is in South Los Angeles. We are advised that tr.ip to San Luis Obispo with a one day test period would run $10400 to $1 ,600. Another alternative would be to core the walls to, establish whether There is cavity wall construction which is generally considered to be -2ssential for reinforcing in brick masonry. A local contractor with coring equipment (Fred Muff) was contacted, and it• was determined that ,is costs would run $400 to $500. Our costs to date plus coordinating, overseeing, evaluating and reporting on the coring work will run $300 to $400. The total cost to the county for this alternative would be $700 :o $900 . Phe total cost for the x-ray work would be $1 ,700 to $21,000 . Please advise us if you wish us to pioceed with either of the possible solutions. If you have any further questions in this matter please do not hesitate =o contact us. .3incerely .ours, 2 ¢� e ? 'red H. Schott 3:nsb P,�z9z -Zai UIS OBISPO OFFICE (805)544.1916 SAN TA MARIA 01lICt rsn5lc?5-vi, �1 112 Broad Street San Luis Obispo CALIFORNIA 93405 February 16, 1990 Regarding Item 8, Feb. 20 : Sunny Acres c�� ecvuu� City Council �/. �tlitJitJ City of San Lu i s Obispo I{.AryP/ow 990 Palm Street Af UA-bl San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 4.%10NA$ Dear City Counci1 : I urge you to take decisive action to see that Sunny Acres is preserved long enough that community groups can develop specific plans for its renovation and reuse . This historical and architectural landmark , visible from many locations throughout our city, is too valuable to be bulldozed due solely to lack of imagination and lack of will on the part of city and county bureaucrats. With at least two community groups dreaming of transforming this abandoned landmark into a functional community asset , it seems only right that the City Council do everything within its power to assist them, rather than to throw mud into their faces, as the staff report recommends. Please , therefore , reject the staff recommendation to say no to the County's $1 per year offer. Instead, there are several good options available: 1 . Say yes, conditionally, based upon later determination of feasibility of conversion to some specific community use . 2. Undertake the feasibility study being recommended by the Natural History Museum group and your own CHC. 3. Enter into negotiations with the County aimed at jointly undertaking feasibility studies and finding an adaptive reuse for the building. 4. For the short run , urge the County to secure the building with a good fence , and to post the perimeter with scary signs warning of imminent danger to health and life due to asbestos contamination inside . C�Ay Beyond that , I wish to offer the following comments regardingQgQ Sunny Acres and the current agitation about its demolition. r tb 2 1 ajvc C A. Earthquake worthiness. To the "circumstantial evidence' cited 5AXL1311a` by Robert Vessely, I add the following. As an architectural historian and ardent student of structural effects of earthquakes Page 2 past and present , I call to your attention that after the 1406 San Francisco earthquake , northern California architects and engineers undertook very serious efforts to find ways to design buildings to better withstand quake damage . For many years, this quest was an absolute mania, and its results were incorporated into the designers' day-to-day work . Although many of the design solutions differ from what today we regard as the standard earthquake resistant measures, nonetheless, many are decent and sensible solutions. It seems reasonable , therefore , to believe that the Mooser firm, as long-time Bay Area architects and engineers, would have been caught up in this effort and likely would have incorporated significant strengthening measures into their buidlings well in advance of laws requiring earthquake reinforcement. The earthquake issue isn' t really one of whether Sunny Acres is unreinforced masonry (URM) construction . The URM issue has been hyped by people who only partially understand structural issues. The greater issue is whether the building is sturdy and structurally sound. Many URM buildings survive earthquakes better than reinforced buildings. This was evident in the Mexico City quake , where lowrise URM buildings assumed to be dead ducks in a quake survived intact , while 8 to 16 story reinforced masonry buildings pancaked and collapsed, causing great death and destruction. Likewise , in the recent Loma Prieta quake similar disparities with the popular image were evident in Watsonville , where I undertook post quake damage studies. Despite considerable structural damage to URM business buildings, few actually collapsed; on the other hand, catastrophic failure was extensive among nearby wood frame dwellings which are identified in the popular mind as "earthquake safe .' Beyond construction is the influence of underlying soil geology. My hunch is that given Sunny Acres' hillside location, it would survive a quake much better than a similar building on downtown's mucky soil . B. Belittling of knowledgable citizens who undertake preservation efforts. Robert Vessely, a civil engineer and fan of Sunny Acres, has spent much time and effort on his own researching Sunny Acres and working for its preservation , and appears to be well informed on the subject . It is therefore most embarassing to me , as a citizen of this city, to see the manner in which he and his findings are dismissed in the staff report as if he is some flake . The report's tone is one of the utmost condescension , and even when Mr. Vessely attempts to correct previous mis-statements of fact , his commentary is dismissed. I find it most embarassing, for example , to see things like the comments on on page 8-4, which dismiss Mr . Vessely's conjectures about reinforcing as "circumstantial evidence' while attributing absolute conclusiveness to equally circumstantial comments by the chief building official about brick bond patterns and the use of segmental brick arches over wall openings. Not Page 3 only is this manipulative factual bunk , it is downright rude . But such behavior seems to be part of a city pattern . Several years ago I found myself in a similar situation when I nominated a building to the National Register of Historic Places. Staff lied repeatedly to the Council and CHC about the building's historical and structural merits and its National Register potential , manipulated behind the scenes to undercut my work , and I ultimately found myself in a confrontational situation before the Council , during which my sincerity, integrity and knowledge were systematically insulted by a former councilmember , the mayor and an alleged city historical expert who then set out to derail the nomination any way he could. Ultimately, it turned out I was right , and the city wrong, for the building is now on the National Register and a developer's adaptive reuse has given it new life . I suspect that if demolition of Sunny Acres can be prevented, Mr . Vessely will also prove to be right , and the city obstructionists wrong. The city really needs to clean up its act and eliminate the condescension and insulting manner in which it treats citizen advocates for preservation. As civic leaders, I think you should spank your management team. C. Quality of staff report . I am most disappointed, and a number of salient points deserve your attention . 1 . What was the CAO's intent in assigning this matter to a staff person whose prejudice was already demonstrated by: -- having stated publicly the building had no merit ; -- having suggested the county demolish it ; -- having by his Lone Ranger actions virtually single handedly stirred up the current city-county confrontation over Sunny Acres which leads to the proposed demolition? How could an impartial weighing of the issues reasonably be expected from such an already positioned person? 2. Costs of renovation mysteriously escalate as the report progresses. Chief Building Official says renovation cost is estimated in the range of $75 per square foot ($585,000) to $100 per square foot ($780 ,000) . (Page 8-4) Somehow Fire Chief arrives at higher figures (range $707,000 to $897,000 when water main and drive are deducted, or $91 to $128 per square foot) . (Page 8-4) There is no explanation . In another two pages (8-6) the cost has inflated further: "site and building improvement costs which are estimated to be on the order of $1 ,000 ,000 or more. ° Again , no explatnation for this inflationary progress. Page 4 Also, the Enviro Group report on asbestos removal contains an apparently inflated bottom line , which is incorporated into the city report. Adding the line items on page 8-18 yields a total of $34,241 , not $36,241 . (As Mr . Vessely points out , not all of this need be spent , since only friable asbestos is considered a hazard. Also, the Enviro report includes another presumably less costly alternative : encasement rather than removal . ) The incorporation of this erroneous bottom line figure into renovation costs is deceiving in yet another way; asbestos abatement would be required prior to demolition . This suggests that the city could use this unavoidable cost as leverage on the county to contribute its abatement and demolition costs towards rehabilitation. 3. The term "structural " is misused throughout . To a design professional or construction expert , "structural ° refers to those building elements which hold up the building. The °structural ° issues cited in the report are non-structural : asbestos, holes in plaster walls, water damage , broken windows, holes in roof and floors, etc . None of these appear to impinge upon the structural integrity of the building. No conclusive evidence is even cited that there are structural deficiencies at Sunny Acres. This distinction is important for lay people like the Council to understand, for otherwise you can be manipulated to think the building is worse off than it is. The 'structural ' ( i .e . , non-structural ) issues cited are the sorts of things that would be taken care of routinely in any remodeling job. Sincerely, aaj_--�COX6 Richard Schmidt