Ames area residents can look forward to swimming indoors next spring as construction of the Fitch Family Indoor Aquatic Center is on schedule. Work on the project, located on Lincoln Way across from the Iowa Department of Transportation headquarters, is projected to be substantially completed by January with a grand opening scheduled for March.

Story Construction reported to the Ames City Council Tuesday that it is 97% done with reviewing building plans and materials, with no soil or water contamination problems found so far.

Extra costs: The city recently approved six small changes that will cost the city an extra $5,665. The biggest expense was $3,808 to close off a wall in the wellness pool area, while the city will save $3,280 by not painting some mechanical rooms. Other changes included waterproofing, safety alarms for drains and a bigger concrete pad for a bus stop.

These changes bring the total extra costs to $278,534, about 13% of the $2.1 million contingency budget set aside for unexpected expenses. The city still has $1.8 million left in that backup fund, plus another $1 million reserved in case contamination issues come up later.

Construction updates: Construction crews made major progress last month. They finished the concrete work for the lap pool and nearly completed the ceiling framework in the main building areas. Workers also installed most of the glass walls on the outside of the building and put in storm drains and light pole bases in the northeast area.

Utility companies helped move the project forward, too. Alliant Energy installed the gas meter on the west side of the building. City inspectors also checked the vapor barriers, pool waterproofing and glass wall installations.

What’s next: In September, crews will start digging and pouring concrete for the recreation pool. They will finish electrical and plumbing inspections in the main building areas and complete drywall work on the west side while starting it on the east side. Painting will begin in the west wing.

The construction team will also start installing the glass walls in the pool area, power wash the outside concrete walls and begin putting up exterior signs. Sidewalk work around the building will continue, and Alliant Energy will connect the gas service pipes to the meter installed by the company.

New senior care facility clears first hurdle for a 2027 opening

A new $37 million, 87-unit assisted living and memory care facility in Ames cleared its first hurdle when the council approved the first reading of an ordinance to rezone 21.02 acres of land at 3220 Cameron School Road from agricultural to convenience general service and suburban residential medium density.

Friedrich Development of Ames wants to rezone the land to allow Cedarhurst Senior Living to build the facility and to allow another builder to build a convenience store on the land. The senior facility would be open in the fall of 2027.

Council re-adopts ordinance after error discovered

City officials made an error with the adoption of Ordinance No. 4547, regarding Conservation Subdivision Standards. The council was asked to re-adopt this ordinance to correct the error.

On Jan. 14, after a public hearing, the council voted on the first reading for the ordinance. At this first reading, the correct ordinance was provided in the council’s packet. For the second and third readings, at the Jan. 28 and Feb. 11 council meetings, a prior draft version of the ordinance was inadvertently provided to the council. No one caught it at the time. After the third reading and adoption of the ordinance, the incorrect draft version was provided to the mayor for his signature.

The planning and housing departments recently caught this error. In order to correct it, the council suspended its rules and completed all three readings of the correct version of the ordinance.

In other business

• The council approved the second reading of an ordinance to amend the Planned Unit Development (PUD) overlay of open spaces standard, exempting single family attached dwelling projects from the requirement that a minimum of 10% of the project area must be an open common space.
• The council approved the second reading of an ordinance rezoning property at 2715 Dayton Ave. from agricultural to government/airport district.
• The council approved the second reading of an ordinance for the 400 S. Fourth St. Planned Unit Development overlay with a site development plan.
• Attendance: Council member Rachael Junck was absent from the meeting.
• What’s next: The next regularly scheduled council meeting is Sept. 9.