Additional $300,000 spent for Avondale YFD Center renovation

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — Construction continues on the Avondale Youth and Family Development Center in Chattanooga. Some extra expenses may be pushing the multi-million dollar project over budget.

The city agreed to spend $6 million to build a brand new recreation center in Chattanooga’s Avondale neighborhood. However, an extended construction timeline and unforeseen soil and electrical issues have added on more than $300,000 dollars to the Phrase 1 bill.

It’s been almost a year since the city broke ground on a brand new, modernized and supersized recreation center for Avondale.

However, the $6 million given by the city for the project might not be enough to fulfill the vision for the new center.

“We didn’t foresee several issues that came about, and we had to spend that money,” City Councilman Anthony Byrd said. “I’m just reassuring that I know the council for any other fees that we have will be more than happy to support this project.”

Phase 1 needed more than 300,000 extra dollars to deal with electrical, soil and zoning problems, as well as extending the construction’s schedule four more months. No part of this 300,000 is related to the proposed design changes inside the facility.

“If it does come about, the second or third stage could lack in funding because we had to pull money. And so that second and third stage will come to landscaping and the wrapping up of the project,” Byrd said.

If the project does go over budget, Byrd hopes community members and nonprofit organizations will help fund the remaining balance, but he believes the city council will support spending more on the project as well.

“I expect this to be a $10 million project. I want this to be something the whole community can be proud of. I joke with the council and people about it every time. I think this community is worth $20 million.”

The city will hold an meeting once a month for the community to ask questions and keep updated on the center’s progress.

The first one of these will be the third week in January, where the proposal for new stadium seating, padding and a larger gym surface will be presented. The cost of those changes will also be discussed then.