CK Newsome Center Kitchen Project Design and Costs Questioned

Danielle,

Thank you for your hard work.  I appreciate how you have stepped up to the plate and filled in for the Parks Director.   It is never easy to pick up the threads of someone else’s job and projects.  You are doing a great job and are handling everything very well.

I need to have answers to the following questions as part of my due diligence.

Please note, with the holiday coming this weekend, I do not want or expect anyone to provide the following information until after January 1st. This should not be viewed as a last minute project, it is not that urgent. However, I would like to have it by the second monthly Parks Board meeting in January 2024.

When the CK Newsome Center kitchen renovation was first brought up early this summer, I was not made aware the design firm would charge $65,000 +/- for just the design.  As I stated during the meeting yesterday, I am dismayed this company requires another $35,000 for just the design bringing the design cost alone to approximately $100,000+.  Their representative said the kitchen is estimated to cost around $1.5 million dollars, possibly higher.

I have owned 4 restaurants over the last 30 years.  It is my understanding through my own experience,  the ansul fire prevention hood runs around $40,000 and the EPA required buried or above ground grease trap tank is around $30-50,000. The cost difference depends on the gallon size of the tank and how far away the plumbing has to be run.

Depending on the condition of the plumbing and wiring, these will likely have to be upgraded to match current building code.  The cost of appliances can be economical, state of the art or anything in between.

A new restaurant kitchen in a facility that is going to kick out 3 meal services a day, 7 days a week, is usually not over $1.5 million dollars.  If it is this high, it will have lots of specialized equipment that a civically owned facility will not need.

I would like a copy of the current kitchen design with a list of proposed equipment and its brands.  I would also like to know the square footage of the space designated for the kitchen.

I also would like to know how this kitchen is used, how often and by who on a regular basis. Who uses it, how many times a year is it used? Is there a charge to the public for use of the kitchen/hall for private functions?  If so, please let me know what it is.

It is customary in this day and age for events to be catered with food prepared ahead of time with it being reheated and/or kept cold until the time it is plated at the event.  Caterers need warming ovens, counter space, refrigerators and freezers, i.e. basic stuff.

Also, it was mentioned yesterday during the meeting that one of the homeless shelters occasionally or regularly serves meals at the CK Newsome Center. Please let me know who this group is.  How many meals do they serve a week, a month?  What is the CK Newsome Center’s arrangement with this group?  I would like to know who funds them.

Can food truck operators rent this kitchen in order to meet health dept requirements?  There is a strong need for this without our community.

At this moment without any additional information, I cannot accept that the CK Newsome Center needs a $1.5 +/- million kitchen to serve food to the homeless.  I agree that CK Newsome Center kitchen does need to be replaced.  However, I was expecting the cost to range around $300-400,000.

After reviewing the above mentioned materials I hope to gain a new understanding for the proposed cost of this kitchen.  I believe my fellow board members also need greater insight into this project.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Michelle Peterlin

Vice President

Evansville Parks Board of Commissioners