PEELING BACK A CENTURY | Hidden deterioration pushes Washington Pavilion rehab costs past $6.5M

'Unfortunately, we got into that, opened it up, and things started to crumble.'

When contractors first cracked into the exterior walls atop the Washington Pavilion, they knew a mammoth job awaited them.

But just how laborious – and costly – replacing the cornice, parapet, and more than 580 balusters that top the perimeter of the 125-year-old, city-owned building would be, they didn’t know.

Sioux Falls city councilors this week were informed that completing the years-long rehabilitation along the 1,300-foot perimeter of the museum and art center’s roof will require nearly half a million more than the $6.12 million budgeted for the project. This comes after McGill Restoration – the lead contractor – discovered conditions within the structure’s north exterior wall were worse than anticipated when the job was bid.