By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald

The cramped and squeezed Bonney Lake City Hall may be getting some relief in the future.

The City Council got a peek at a proposed city building that would be built in the area of 9004 184th Avenue East and is part of the downtown plan.

Architect Eric Anderson, from the Seattle firm, Makers Architecture + Urban Design, presented the plans for the building at the City Council workshop May 29.

This building is different than most city structures. It is meant to eventually become an office and business complex for the downtown core.

&#8220This building will kick off the mainstream design for the downtown plan,” said Steve Ladd, planning manager for the city. &#8220The idea is this will be used temporarily as a city building and ultimately sold as a business and office building. We want it to be a trend setter for the rest of the downtown area.”

The downtown core, where Grocery Outlet and Dairy Queen are located, is a triangular area bordered on the south by state Route 410, on the west by Sumner-Buckley Highway and one the east by 184th Avenue East.

Anderson said the building design is currently for a 21,000 square foot structure, two stories high with 10,500 square feet per floor.

The architectural firm is designing an energy efficient building, but Anderson noted the level of efficiency depends on how much the city wants to pay up front for energy savings down the road.

Anderson described to the council and staff the LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating system.

&#8220The design differs for specific offices,” Anderson said. &#8220But each level - silver, gold, platinum - increases energy conservation.”

A few of the design features on the city building being proposed included a central skylight and the use of louvered extension outside the windows to bounce light into rooms to decrease the use of electricity.

Other features Anderson noted that can be used are geo-thermal heat pumps, plumbing fixtures that use less water and simple ideas like windows that open, cutting down on the use of air conditioning.

While some of the design features for the LEED rating are inexpensive, others bear a considerable cost in the beginning for savings in the future.

&#8220The rating system makes a difference in the cost,” City Administrator Don Morrison said. &#8220Some of the energy savings can take 10 to 15 years.”

Morrison said the next step is to get a more accurate cost estimate of the building. It is currently proposed at about $2.5 to $3.5 million. The plan is to pay for the structure with councilmatic bonds.

&#8220No taxes would be raised to build it,” Morrison said.

Once the building is constructed, Morrison said the City Council chambers and the municipal court would move in. The mayor's office may also be relocated with some of the administrative and community services offices.

A new City Hall and civic center is planned for the downtown core. Once that building is constructed, the offices and courts would move into that structure and the temporary city building could be sold.

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.