Concern high museum cost estimates will 'spook the horses' as decision day looms

Early designs showing how the 'bulk' - the rough size and outline - of the building options could look on location. Images/Tauranga City Council

There are fears cost estimates for Tauranga's new museum and/or new library will "spook the horses" just days before a committee decides the project's future.

The numbers, presented to councillors in a workshop yesterday, were for the capital costs for the three main options under consideration: a standalone library on Willow St, an integrated museum and library at Willow St or a standalone museum on Cliff Rd.

The most expensive build option would be a standalone library (on Willow St) and museum (on Cliff Rd). Together they could cost between $120.8 million and, for a stripped-back version, $97.7m.

Integrating the two facilities on Willow St was estimated to cost between $93.7m and $77.8m.

External funders could cover some of the costs, with contributions estimated at anywhere from 11 per cent of the cost (standalone library) to 55 per cent (standalone museum).

Councillors baulked at the high figures. Terry Molloy said they may "spook the horses".

"I need a drink," Leanne Brown quipped as the meeting ended.

Chairman Larry Baldock said the numbers were not the final word - the council had other options such as asking for a design at a certain price.

Also surprised were members of the Tauranga Moana Museum Trust.

Chairman Neil Te Kani said it seemed like the pitch was for a national museum.

Neil Martin of Jasmax said the design was of a standard closer to a national museum than, say, a regional library because that was what the brief - based the council's discussions with Tauranga people about what they wanted - called for.

Te Kani said the museum had to be affordable and the trust believed the costs had to come down. He worried about the public reaction to yesterday's numbers.

On a cost per square metre rate, the price of the standalone museum on Cliff Rd - the option supported by tangata whenua - was nearly double the other options at $12,562 per square metre.

Martin said that was partly due to the planned 9m high stud to make the building feel "monumental" on the site, which sits above a recently discovered archaeological site of national significance.

To protect the buried battlefield trenches architects planned to elevate the entire museum and add a 200sq m to 300sq m glass floor, Richard Gerrish of Jazmax said.

So are the horses spooked? Some multi-term councillors have acknowledged they wear scars from the 2007 waterfront museum debacle which, after years of planning, fell over when voters turfed out most of the elected members who supported the $22m project.

The City Transformation Committee will have two workshops tomorrow - one open and one confidential to discuss potential external funding options.

Tuesday is decision day.

Up next: is Tauranga willing to pay?

Today councillors will receive the results of a 'willingness to pay' survey of 400 residents.

A majority - 64 per cent - supported a museum and 41 per cent were willing to pay.

Shown the impact on rates estimates, 69 per cent preferred an integrated facility.

New cost estimate ranges

These range from the as-per-brief cost to estimates for a stripped back version of the brief.

Standalone Library: $56.3 to $44.8m
Integrated Museum and Library: $93.76m to $77.8m
Standalone Museum: $64.4m to $52.9m

Impact on rates

Per annum based on a house valued at $500k:

Reinstate central library: $5.60 a year
Standalone library: $52.90
Standalone museum + reinstated library: $81.30
Integrated museum and library: $95.60
Standalone library and standalone museum: $128.70

Based on costs recommended by council staff for a partially reduced project scope.