BUCKHANNON – The Stockert Youth & Community Center board has raised $428,253.13 for the new multi-purpose auditorium/gymnasium facility.
The board discussed how much they would have to raise after purchasing the property located at 63 East Main Street adjacent to the current SYCC facility during the board’s Monday, May 3 meeting.
“The council has taken action, of course, to purchase property across the street, and we do have a line item intended for the for the upcoming council meeting, relative to 65 East Main Street, but for all intents and purposes, it is a done deal,” Buckhannon mayor Robbie Skinner said.
Board member Nancy Shobe asked how much more money would need to be raised to building the new multi-purpose auditorium/gymnasium facility because a fundraiser should have a goal.
“The cost of building a new structure hasn’t been higher – we’re in a huge spike right now,” Skinner said. “Whether we get through this and things come back down, or if this becomes the new normal, is yet to be seen, but there’s a lot of shortages of a lot of materials. Contractors are having trouble getting things to finish home renovations and to build new homes.”
During the Jan. 11 SYCC board meeting, city engineer Jay Hollen and director of Public Works Jerry Arnold presented the board with four options for the new building.
“The estimate was somewhere around, $2.5 to $2.6 million, so you probably figure it will be closer to three (million dollars) at this point because of the rise in costs and let’s face it, if it’s going to be on Main Street, a metal box is a real disservice to the community, so it needs to be a really nice facility that has multi-use opportunity,” Skinner said.
Board member Sam Nolte said they should wait to announce a definitive number until the sale is completely closed and a team can run the numbers and city recorder Randy Sanders agreed.
“I think that’s pretty wise to wait until we have the deed in our hands and then perhaps the next phase would be for the mayor to appoint a design committee to work with an architect to come up with the solid plans, and then we need to hone in on what our design is going to look like,” Sanders said. “We need work on the outside to maximize what we can get out of the inside for the gym and for the other rooms and so forth to get as much out of square footage as possible, so when people are asked to donate, you can explain exactly what this facility is going to do.”
Interested in donating to SYCC’s capital campaign? Click here.
