Mountain View design bid accepted in Sun City

The Recreation Centers of Sun City board of directors updated residents on several projects during its exchange meeting June 10.

Residents continued to express their division in the board’s consideration to purchase property at the intersection of 111th Avenue and Thunderbird Boulevard, while asking for an update. The facility had been to auction starting at $1.6 million, but the highest bid of $2.95 million did not meet the price required for its sale, prompting the seller’s agent to contact the RCSC at the beginning of May. A price for the facility has not been set and is under negotiation.

Karen McAdam, vice president, said they are continuing to work with the broker and hired their own appraiser to evaluate the former Aquity Healthcare complex. The broker recently gave them a five-inch thick binder of information and inspection reports and the appraiser’s report is 155 pages of documentation. She said it would take some time to review all the material.

At previous meetings, the board had said the facility could potentially be used to house the RCSC corporate offices, which would provide more centralization and allow them to repurpose the existing offices at Lakeview Recreation Center to serve the needs of that center.

When questioned about the need and costs associated with relocating the corporate offices at the meeting, Kat Fimmel, board president, said the PIF already includes a future project for replacing the administration offices with dollars attached around 2030 and that the board is also considering the purchase because some residents have expressed a desire for them to acquire the building to prevent it from becoming an alcohol or drug rehabilitation center or another establishment residents would prefer not be located in their community.

“Lakeview is in a place to be renovated at a cost of $30 million in 2030,” McAdam elaborated. “We may be much better off moving admin offices from Lakeview and maybe not having to build more office space at Lakeview.”

Lakeview, as a whole, occupies 44,000 sq. ft. and the Thunderbird property has 48,000 sq. ft. among all its buildings, she said. Twenty percent of the Thunderbird property would have to be demolished to create additional parking, approximately leaving 38,000 sq. ft. that could be converted into office space. It may be cheaper, she said, to purchase the property and relocate the offices there then to pay for temporary office space for the corporate offices during the Lakeview renovation, complete the renovation and move them back. It may be better to purchase the Thunderbird property, relocate the office spaces and use the renovation monies to repurpose the Lakeview offices.

“We’re looking in the long run. It might be enormous cost savings for us,” McAdam said.

David Clawson requested clarification on where the board was in the Mountain View Recreation Center renovation.

“What we’ve done so far is award a contract for a design firm,” Fimmel said. “Eventually, all of the shareholders will have a chance to discuss this further.”

D’Luzansky said management received four bids on the project, but only one offered possible suggestions, ideas or recommendations and was accepted. The other three offered their services based only on their reputation and past projects.

Jean Totten questioned the need to spend approximately $6 million on a renovation of the Quail Run Golf Course with Mountain View, the Thunderbird property and other expensive projects underway or under consideration. She said the Quail Run project was slated on the PIF for 2027-2031.

“The Quail Run irrigation system is almost at a fail state,” said Preston Kise, board member. “We’re leaking both money and water. It has to be addressed now.”

Since replacement of the irrigation system will also tear up the course, he said, it makes sense to move up the renovation and do the work all at once. The board does not plan any major changes to the course itself, but the renovation does include some audio and patio upgrades, which has been a priority for the golf advisory committee.

The next board meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. June 27 at Sundial.