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MN Governor’s Residence renovation costlier than expected
Bids came in higher than expected, and much more must be done to bring the 1912 mansion up to current codes.
MINNEAPOLIS — The work to renovate the Minnesota Governor’s Residence will cost far more than originally projected, if the current set of bids are approved.
The bids for mechanical, electrical, HVAC and plumbing work needed to bring the 1912 mansion up to code will bring the total cost of the project to $12.8 million, according to the Governor’s Residence Council. That compares to original estimates of $7 million.
In addition to bids being higher than expected, more electrical and mechanical systems need to be replaced in order to meet modern building and fire safety codes.
“In pre-design, you have a very high-level, overall look at systems and ask what are ways we can save cost. We were hoping to not have to replace all the electrical, mechanical, piping that goes into the interior spaces, which are difficult to access behind plaster walls,” said Wayne Waslaski, a deputy commissioner at the Dept. of Administration, the agency that manages all the state’s property, including the Residence.
“As the design progressed, we were able to get in and do destructive testing, open up those areas and get access to that cabling and piping. And really then we made the decision that you can’t keep that in place. You have to meet current building codes. You’re going to have to replace all that.”
Waslaski says doing that work will require construction crews to remove more of the mansion’s plaster walls and then bring in specialized craft tradespersons to restore them to match the rest of the historic structure.
“That’s a primary driver of this cost difference, the notion you’re going to have to open up things a lot more significantly, get into the plaster walls, replacing all that piping, all that electrical cabling, as well as the boiler systems,” Waslaski explained.
“We were hoping some aspects would have additional useful life, but there’s been so much deferred maintenance over the years on this facility it’s in need of wholesale replacement.”
He said they’ve had to navigate supply chain disruptions, part of the lingering legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic. And contractors have a lot of jobs to choose from right now. So, the bidding wasn’t as competitive as it normally would be.
The cost change doesn’t have to go to the Legislature for approval, because there’s enough in the Dept. of Administration’s repair funds to cover the difference. But Gov. Tim Walz says he’s concerned about the size of the cost spike and has asked legislative leaders to weigh in on it.
House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic both agree the project needs to be finished the right way and meet code. Republican House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth says she still has more questions about what went wrong.
The contractors say they’ll need to lock in agreements this week in order to lock those prices into the contract. The price tag could go even higher if the state presses pause and shops around for lower bids.
The only part of the job that has started is the exterior masonry work, which began in late July. On Tuesday, masons could be seen tuck pointing and repairing mortar joints on the brick structure.
“It’s making sure the heating and cooling work, and electrical systems work, and obviously it’s a state facility, with multiple state functions, security systems, modern security systems,” Waslaski added.
“So, this project is really focused on building infrastructure and bringing that up to today’s standards really with the intention this home is going to be available for multiple generations to come, for future governors to use.”
Gov. Walz and his family have temporarily moved into the University of Minnesota chancellor’s residence, which the Minnesota Dept. of Administration is leasing from the U of M until the restoration work wraps up at the Governor’s Residence.
The Governor’s Residence was built originally for lumber baron Horace Hills Irvine in 1912. His descendants donated it to the State of Minnesota in 1965. Since then 10 different governors have lived there.
There is support in some corners for selling the mansion or donating it to the Minnesota Historical Society, rather than spending money to bring all of the systems up to standard. The money saved could, in theory, pay for a brand-new residence.
Waslaski said the building is unique in that it’s open to the public for special events and yet must serve as a highly secure residence for the state’s chief executive.
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A criminal complaint alleges the suspect was driving nearly 100 mph at the time of the crash.
MINNEAPOLIS — Criminal charges have been filed against a St. Paul man in connection with a multi-vehicle crash Wednesday night in Minneapolis that left one person dead and several others injured.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office said Talon Covie-Carderell Walker, 29, is now charged with one count of criminal vehicular homicide.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the case, prosecutors believe Walker was driving a Chevy Avalanche pickup truck at high speeds when he started a chain-reaction crash on the I-94 exit to Dunwoody Boulevard on Wednesday evening. A total of seven vehicles were involved.
The State Patrol said Natalie Gubbay, 26, who was driving one of the other vehicles, died at the scene. Several others were hospitalized following the crash, including Walker. Two children were also among those injured.
The complaint alleges Walker was driving nearly 100 mph at the time of the crash. Investigators also said an open bottle of liquor was found in Walker’s vehicle. Results of a blood alcohol test are pending, according to the complaint, but investigators said Walker has previous driving convictions and lost his license in 2021.
Industry experts say several airlines were already waiting for deliveries of Boeing airplanes before the strike started.
MINNEAPOLIS — This week union workers who build planes for Boeing rejected a new contract deal.
64% of the 32,000 machinists voted against the deal in another major setback for the company. The strike that has halted most of Boeing’s aircraft production for over a month will continue.
The strike is further delaying deliveries for many Boeing customers who are already dealing with production delays.
It could soon have a big impact across the country, from concerns over plane safety to the cost of flying.
Hassan Shahidi with the Flight Safety Foundation says many airlines were already waiting for Boeing airplanes before the strike started.
“Prior to the strike there were already challenges,” Shahidi says. “This strike is exacerbating the situation even further.”
Shahidi says some of the airlines may have aging airplanes that will have to stay in use longer than the companies had planned for, but he argues that is a minor issue and he is not worried about passenger safety.
“All aircraft that are flying are certified by the FAA, are airworthy and safe,” Shahidi says.
He argues a much larger issue is how the strike will impact the airline industry’s plans to grow in the coming years.
He says most of the orders for new Boeing airplanes are from airlines that are expanding to meet passenger demand.
“To have other companies trying to come in and meet that gap is going to be challenging in terms of both supplies, labor and processes that are going to be needed to produce the highest quality of airplanes,” Shahidi says.
According to Delta’s website, the airline recently ordered 100 Boeing 737’s with an option to buy 30 more.
Those planes are scheduled to be delivered sometime next year and the company says some of those airplanes will be deployed to MSP.
KARE 11 reached out to Delta to see if the Boeing strike could affect the delivery of those planes, and whether the strike could impact Delta’s ability to add new flights in the coming years, but we haven’t heard back from the company at this time.
Sun Country says their entire fleet is made up of 43 Boeing airplanes.
A company spokesperson says all of Sun Country’s airplanes are “mid-life aircraft” meaning they are purchased used from other companies.
This spokesperson says this unique business model will insulate Sun Country from the impacts of the Boeing strike, and the company won’t see a shortage of airplanes anytime soon.
KARE 11 also reached out to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport to see if the airport and local travelers will see any impacts of the Boeing strike.
An MSP spokesperson sent KARE-11 the following statement:
“We do not anticipate any immediate impacts at MSP from the Boeing strike. While a strike could push back delivery of aircraft to airlines and lead to future schedule adjustments by those airlines, any impacts would not be expected to affect MSP any more than other airports across the country.”
The victim’s wife identified their neighbor as the likely suspect following ongoing disputes.
MINNEAPOLIS — A shooting that followed months of alleged harassment from one neighbor to another has escalated to a public sparring session between the Minneapolis Police Department and City Council.
According to court documents, MPD was called to a hospital in the city for reports of a gunshot victim on Oct. 23. Upon arrival, the officers learned a man, identified as Davis Maturi, had been shot and was transported to the hospital from his home on Grand Avenue in Minneapolis.
The criminal complaint in the case said Maturi’s wife told officers that their neighbor, identified as 54-year-old John Sawchak, “almost certainly” was the person who shot her husband, alleging that Sawchak had harassed and threatened the couple for months.
Mrs. Maturi allegedly told officers that her husband was pruning a tree near their property line on that day.
“Touch my tree again and I’ll kill you,” the suspect allegedly told the victim, according to the complaint.
The charging documents lists seven prior police records of incidents between the neighbors before the October shooting, including several allegations of threats and racism by Sawchak against Maturi.
Maturi remains hospitalized with a fractured spine. Sawchak is not currently in police custody.
A letter from ranking members of the Minneapolis City Council to Mayor Jacob Frey shows anger and blame being directed at the MPD for allegedly failing to act on Maturi’s numerous complaints against Sawchak before the shooting, and failing to arrest him immediately after the shooting.
“MPD still has not arrested the suspect despite charges from the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for Attempted Murder, 1st Degree Assault, Stalking, and Harassment and a request from the HCAO for a warrant with $1 million bail. MPD told the HCAO they do not intend to execute the warrant ‘for reasons of officer safety,’” said the letter from the Minneapolis City Council.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara scheduled a news conference on Friday afternoon to respond to the council’s accusations.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office confirmed Friday that it filed charges against Sawchak.
“After Mr. Sawchak shot Mr. Moturi on Oct. 23, the case was submitted to our office on Oct. 24. We immediately charged Mr. Sawchak with attempted murder, first-degree assault, and felony harassment and stalking, enhanced for racial bias,” said a statement from the office.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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