Despite lopping off two levels from the ambitious design to revive Guadalupe’s old theater, a new one-story project’s cost continues to exceed the city’s available funding, prompting frustration and calls for better oversight and transparency.

In recent weeks, the Guadalupe City Council has seen a tweaked plan that drastically revises the three-story project amid a $14 million bid for completion for the Royal Theater’s renovation. 

However, the City Council learned recently that the one-story project also would exceed the $10 million provided to Guadalupe in federal and state funding.

Consultants initially provided an estimate of $9.7 million for the three-story building, but the only firm to participate last fall submitted a $14 million bid. 

More recently, a consultant provided an $11.6 million estimate for the one-story building. Two months later, the consultant tweaked the estimate, providing a $10.7 million price tag.

None of the prices included what officials dubbed about $3 million in soft costs — construction management services, environmental and abatement expenses, project management and inspections.

During the May 13 meeting, Councilwoman Whitney Furness asked for an accounting of soft costs, contending that a consultant’s report lacked key details.

That report included the project manager’s revelation that the architect costs have more than tripled. 

“As we’ve changed the project, it’s increased soft costs. Now, as an extreme example and this is the only extreme example we have, if you look at Andrew Goodwin Designs, every time we change something they have to get a new contract and do more work,” project manager Tom Brandeberry said. 

Originally, the architect’s contract amounted to approximately $280,000 but now exceeds $1 million because of changes, Brandeberry said.

“I think there needs to be oversight on that,” Furness said, adding that she has asked for information but not received it — a concern echoed by community members.

She asked whether staff could provide the detailed information, adding that she doesn’t trust the numbers from Brandeberry.

“It’s really difficult to be a project manager on this project and have distrust from the council,” Brandeberry said.

“Not just from the council, but a lot of it’s from the residents as well,” Furness added.

She began crying while revealing that people have hesitated to join a capital campaign to raise money. They also have picked a leader “because nobody trusts this project is going to happen,” she added. 

“I just don’t see how there’s not oversight. It sucks. It’s gnarly,” she said.

Brandeberry said the city may need to find a different project manager, adding that he couldn’t continue “under these conditions.”

“I think that the project needs to be audited from top to bottom,” Furness said. 

“I don’t think there’s anything nefarious going on from what I can see,” City Administrator Todd Bodem said. 

Brandeberry noted the March 2027 deadline for the project’s completion as required by the funding.

Both Mayor Ariston Julian and City Attorney Phil Sinco said the project wouldn’t be as far along without Brandeberry at the helm. 

“I don’t think anybody else could do what you’re doing now,” Julian said. “If there’s some concerns about the financial side of things, we’ll get to that and then we can go forward.”

Sinco urged Furness to “let us try to regain your trust” by providing the information she requested. 

“Tom has been a valuable part of this project, and I don’t think we would have a project if it wasn’t for him,” Sinco said. “He had knowledge that none of us had, and we’re as far as we are because of that.”

He estimated the project could move forward as soon as this fall. 

To trim some costs, the council also heard about delaying some features. Those include the new building’s full interior build-out for restrooms, a green room and a classroom, shaving $1.4 million off the initial price.

Two other alternatives would delay key features for a performing arts facility — bypassing audio-visual equipment for the existing theater ($424,275) and the new building ($63,788).

Removing all five options, totaling $2.5 million, would drop the Royal Theater cost to $8,216,610, according to Brandeberry’s report.

Those components could be covered by funds raised in the capital campaign, Bodem said.