LaFayette to remodel water-damaged Public Safety Building
The LaFayette City Council, by a 5-0 vote, has given the go-ahead to replace leaking bubble glass blocks at the LaFayette Public Safety Building. The glass blocks were left over from the days when Coca-Cola Bottling occupied the building.
For years, the police department, which occupies the building, has wanted repairs being done as water has accumulated inside the glass blocks, causing them to break and leak inside of the building. That has caused water damage as well as heavy spider infestation.
“It’s ruined the lobby. We can’t replace anything in the lobby, because of the water leaks down the walls,” Police Chief Bengie Clift said.
After spraying the building, pest control workers told Clift that there are at least 4,000,000 spiders in the building.
“We’ve had this in the budget for a couple of years,” City Manager David Hamilton said at the council’s Sept. 12 meeting. “We have got substantial leakage in the Public Safety Building of the west facing wall.”
Hamilton said the damage is so bad that when there are heavy rains, a puddle of water gathers inside the front lobby of the police department. Additional damages have occurred in the offices.
“It’s one of those deals that if we don’t correct it, the cost of the repairs is going to continue to increase,” Hamilton said.
After weighing several options, including replacing the glass blocks with new ones, it was determined the glass blocks are what is causing the leakage.
“We are trying to balance costs with aesthetics,” Hamilton said.
The building has been remodeled in the past, including the removal of the assembly window as well as a new roof in recent years.
If the building is not repaired, the water damage will continue to deteriorate the building and the bubble glass is what is causing the problem.
It was decided to replace the blocks with glass pane windows, similar to those that First Baptist Church installed.
“We believe the glass panes will provide a very pleasing look that will also eliminate the leak problem and prevent leaks for many years to come,” Hamilton said.