Do Music Hall, Union Terminal need $10M more?

• Report on Music Hall%2C Union Terminal fixes says costs could be %2410 million higher than estimates

The cost of renovating Music Hall and Union Terminal could be about $10 million more than current estimates for the projects, a consultant's report said Monday.

The preliminary report to Hamilton County officials found no major differences with most of the original estimates for the $331 million project, but it recommended more money be set aside for contingencies and said some additional construction work would benefit the projects.

The county's Tax Levy Review Committee reviewed the report Monday night and will make a recommendation this month to county commissioners about whether to place a quarter-cent sales tax increase on the November ballot. The sales tax would raise about two-thirds of the project's total cost.

The three county commissioners must decide before Aug. 6 if they want the issue on the ballot in November.

Members of the review committee said the higher estimate did not concern them and that some of the additional costs already had been factored into the original estimates.

"If the number had been 20 percent off or 25 percent off, I might be worried," said Chris Habel, a committee member. "This came in at 3 percent off. You've got the best numbers you're really going to get."

The report from Hines, an international architecture and engineering firm, is important because commissioners and members of the levy review committee have said they want to be as sure as they can about cost estimates before considering a sales tax increase.

Hines found an additional $3.9 million in costs for Music Hall and another $6.7 million at Union Terminal.

More than half of the additional Music Hall costs were tied to Hines' suggestion that another $2.3 million be set aside for contingencies. The original estimates set aside $2 million.

Hines' report said the increase is a good idea for "a project of this complexity and uniqueness."

Other findings related to Music Hall include $1.1 million more for work on the loading dock and about $340,000 for security and other safeguards during construction.

At Union Terminal, Hines recommended additional construction on the roof and exterior, including the replacement of all parapets, and another $1.2 million for renovation of the fountain. The report also suggested another $1.4 million of work on Dalton Avenue near Union Terminal and recommended another $1 million be spent on temporary security at the construction site.

Hines cautioned that some of the additional costs it found might have been covered in the original estimates and that its engineers still must meet with those who did the original estimates to make sure there is no duplication.

The original estimates were based on months of work by several major engineering and design firms, including the Cincinnati-based GBBN and Hixson. Differences in cost estimates on big projects are not unusual, and county officials are expected to review the original estimates and the consultant's report before deciding on a final cost estimate.