LAURINBURG — The city of Laurinburg has spent more than a $500,000 in anticipation of a new City Hall.

Critics of the project call that figure outlandish considering that it may not — and should not — come to fruition.

But officials versed in getting such municipal facilities off the ground say that kind of spending is both typical and necessary.

The city plans to hold a public hearing tonight on financing for the planned City Hall that would house all city departments. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at 303 W. Church St.

The hearing is one of the final steps before the city submits its application to the Local Government Commission for approval on the proposed municipal facility that is projected to cost $7.9 million. Construction could begin as early as September.

But the city has already spent about $500,000 on the project that includes the schematic design, design development, construction documents, and building bids — all provided by Creech and Associates, a Charlotte architectural firm and Edifice General Contractors.

The city has also paid approximately $141,000 for renovations to the Sanford building and moving costs for city administrators to relocate to the temporary office space.

Mayor Matthew Block, an outspoken opponent of the proposed facility, finds its difficult to understand the city allocating so much money to a project that has yet to be green-lighted by the state.

“So far the city has already spent close to $500,000 on some planning stages with the architects — hard to imagine, but they have,” Block said. “And they have spent $140,000 moving to the Sanford building. Over $650,000 has been spent before the project is approved.”

Laurinburg City Manager Charles Nichols said to get state approval, the city needed to have a complete architectural plan and construction bids in place and permits — all of which cost money.

“The LGC will only allow a loan for the actual cost, which is why we need bids in hand,” Nichols said.

According to Albemarle City Manager Michael Ferris, spending some money upfront is part of the cost of construction. In 2007, the town of Albemarle started its own City Hall and had to spend money on an architectural plan, environmental tests, as well as have construction bids in place before the LGC would vote to approve the the financing of the project.

“The LGC does not allow you to get a loan by saying ‘I think it will run us this much money, can we go ahead and get approval from you now?’” Ferris said.

Nichols also said the move to the Sanford Building for the duration of the City Hall/police department project saves Laurinburg more than $150,000 because renting mobile offices to house employees would have cost $315,000.

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Public hearing on City Hall financing tonight

By Nolan Gilmour

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Reach Nolan Gilmour at 910-506-3171