THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Saturday, December 10, 1994            TAG: 9412090038
SECTION: FRONT                    PAGE: A14  EDITION: FINAL 
TYPE: Editorial 
                                             LENGTH: Short :   44 lines

DOWNTOWN RENOVATION TOO LONG, TOO COSTLY NORFOLK STUBS ITS TOE

It's not the $1.5 million, and probably more, in cost overruns, although this is a hefty escalation of a $5.8 million job estimate. It's not even being 22 months, and most likely more, behind schedule, although this is hardly an inconsequential amount of time.

Unexpected costs and unexpected delays are commonplace.

What may be most damaging to Norfolk City Hall is evidence that the city has botched the former Rice's department store's conversion to a downtown Granby Street home for municipal offices. Today's sometimes ugly anti-government mood derives mainly from taxpayers' Potomac watch, but few bother to distinguish among public-sector levels when they're condemning government for its mistakes, real and imagined. For Norfolk, then, the hardest blow could be to its credibility.

The city deserves good marks for overall performance, even though this project's scenario makes it seem otherwise. This is the first time, says Assistant City Manager Churl R. Montgomery, that the city has been in charge of renovating a building of this kind. After hearing Montgomery's report, Mayor Paul Fraim suggested it may be the last.

Any reasonable resident would concede that a major remodeling job will encounter surprises. But among contributors to cost overruns, and presumably delays, on the 100-year-old building's renovation is a roof that needs replacing. Couldn't this have been determined when the project was being planned? Also, asbestos has turned up. Doesn't everyone know by now that asbestos is a potential problem with old buildings?

The embarrassing report came in response to questions raised by City Councilman Herbert Collins. From his and other council members' statements, Norfolk residents can be confident that monitoring of the project will be intense.

Now, can Mr. Collins and his colleagues do something about Norfolk's real fiasco - Hampton Boulevard? by CNB