Saluda City Hall’s impact on the ambiance of downtown, as well as energy efficiency, have taken top priority in the minds of city leaders as they take another step toward making repairs to the historic building.
“The question is can we replace the windows with vinyl or aluminum and retain the historic feel of the building,” said Commissioner George Sweet. “I’m convinced we can. Ernie [Williams] and I are trying to come up with a way we can do this at a reasonable cost and at the same time reduce our heating and cooling costs and our maintenance costs.”
Bids have been received for replacing all the windows upstairs and downstairs, except for the main windows on the front of the building. Bids have also been received for repairing the brick and mortar on the building’s façade. This last step must be completed before any other repairs are made, including replacing the leaking roof.
Two estimates were submitted for brick with one slightly more costly, but Sweet said the company has done a lot of work on buildings in Hendersonville.
Several local contractors said they were not interested in tying themselves up that long on one job, Sweet said, although they were contacted.  Sweet proposed to hire Outlaw Masonry. John Morgan seconded the motion.
The proposal from Outlaw includes sealing all of the bricks and mortar on the building for $9,702.
Replacement of the upper and bottom windows will cost $14,684. Replacing the front windows alone will cost $15,000 because of the way the building is built out on the inside. Replacing the windows will mean restructuring the frames.
To complete all windows in the building will cost about $30,000.
The city allotted just $10,000 in this year’s budget for renovations but will look to other options to fund the rest of the renovation costs.
The Saluda City Hall building was last restored in 1986 but is about 100 years old.