Leaky Wheaton city hall roof getting attention

The distinctive copper-look roof on Wheaton's city hall is tarnished in the most costly sense of the word.

It leaks.

And the damage those deficiencies have caused to the building is mounting. Painted white wooden cornices are starting to resemble those on an aging home, with holes cropping up where wood is rotten.

Council members on Monday agreed to replace the roof and fix the damage at a cost of $495,100.

The roof has leaked for years. Experts reviewed drawings repeatedly, as well as examined the roof, trying to fix the problems, explained Mike Dzugan, assistant city manager. Unfortunately, it seems the design was flawed from the get-go, and the only remaining solution is a complete replacement.

City officials asked for contractors to bid on the work twice already this year, but the firm that returned the lowest cost for the work ran into problems after it was selected, City Manager Don Rose said. The company couldn't obtain the necessary bond for the work.

The firm with the next-lowest estimate was, in fact, the one whose engineering research helped craft the designs and requirements for the repairs and replacement, according to information provided to council members. Rose said that sending the project out a third time for companies to review wouldn't result in a lower price because costs on key materials continue to rise.

And waiting any longer for repairs would cause additional problems. In additional to the cornices, there is significant damage to the fascia and soffits, as well.

"Any delay going into another winter and spring will cause further interior damage," he said.

The leaks now are going past the outer surfaces and starting to move inside the building. During the heavy rains in September, water damage clearly was visible on numerous ceiling tiles, he said.

Crews should start removing the decorative aluminum roof on the downtown building within a month, and work is expected to take about a month, Dzugan said.