Buda's new library and city hall building project is nearing completion, but delays in ordering and receiving furnishings for the facility have pushed its opening to the latter part of June.
The Municipal Facility, which will house the new library and city hall, is part of Proposition 1 of Buda’s $55 million 2014 Bond Election.
"We do have substantial completion on Proposition 1, which is the city hall/library. There is a running list of items that have to be corrected or finished up that are ongoing that are being done by the contractor as we speak," Buda Project Manager Ray Creswell said.
The contractors for the building are working on last minute, punch list items to complete before the new building opens.
One of the final outstanding works in progress is the ordering, manufacturing, delivery and installation of all of the furnishing, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) for the building. This process was delayed due to city council members' concerns with the price of a bid contract for the furnishings.
"The furniture can take a longer period of time because not everything is going to come at one time, it'll come at different times during the month, so we have to be aware of that when we talk about when we're going to open, because it really depends on when we get the building totally furnished," Buda Public Information Officer David Marino said.
Originally, the city had scheduled to move into the municipal facility at the end of May, but that has now been delayed until the end of June. However, this date is still reliant on the timeline for the installation of the FF&E.
"We're looking at having a grand opening ceremony sometime at the end of July, but we don't have a firm date on that yet," Marino said.
Buda’s new 30,000 square-foot library is most likely to open in July, which gives staff time to organize and put up its inventory on the new shelves.
As Buda readies for a move into its new digs, city staff is continuing to monitor the status of a heritage oak relocated in 2017. Buda spent more than $300,000 to relocate te 250-year-old tree, which was in the blueprint of the new municipal facility.
"The Heritage Tree is really looking great right now. We do have an extended contract with the people who did the physical move and they are coming in weekly to look at it and monitor it," Creswell said. "This has extremely helped in increasing the foliage on the tree now."
The nearby Public Safety Building, which is the new location of the Buda Police Department, was part of Proposition 2 of the 2014 Bond Election and has been completed since November.
As for the old City Hall and City Annex Building, the Request for Proposals for those who would like to lease the buildings, once they have been vacated, will be due June 15. The existing library will be repurposed as the city's Main Street and Tourism offices.
