Thursday, September 3, 2015
You Tell Me. What Kind of Dais Do You Want?
The log cabin renovation will be finished soon. Nothing makes everyone happy, but there's contentment enough regarding this project. The main complaint I've heard made is about the cost. Between the new Village Hall building and the log cabin renovation, the cost was high. We got most of it from the State, and we borrowed money to meet the rest.
One issue that has gotten a lot of attention, and complaint, is the new dais. We have preliminarily contracted for a fixed piece of furniture which will set off about a third of the room. It will cost about $24.5K.
There have been two complaints about this dais. One is that it is intended to be permanent, meaning it cannot be moved out of the way, if for some reason we wanted more open space. This is true, by the way, of all daises I know about. The other complaint is that it costs a lot. Funny enough, the individuals who complained about either factor complained about both of them: the dais should be movable, and it should cost less.
We are at the disadvantage that no one has produced any other estimate for the cost of a dais, either movable or fixed. So those people who complain about the cost just don't like the number. There is nothing to suggest it is a wrong number, or that a nice dais, suitable for the purpose, could cost less.
There is an argument that says that we might not even need a formal dais, per se. We can use what we have now: a row of card tables with the fronts covered by a drape. That would be almost free. The argument against that is that for some people, it seems bizarre and unseemly to go to the trouble and considerable expense of a renovation like the one we're completing, to make an historic room for Village meetings, then have covered card tables as the surface used by the Commission and Boards for whose gatherings this renovation is primarily being done.
The carpenter whom we have engaged to make this dais, who is the same firm that is doing the overall renovation, has told us that it is possible to make a movable dais, but it will cost more than making a fixed dais. We're not told how much more.
Let's keep in mind three things. One is that we have no idea yet how much more a movable dais will cost. The second is that we have no idea how often, if ever, we would want to move a dais, if it were movable. The third thing is that even a movable dais is a heavy and bulky piece of furniture, and the most we could do is slide it a little toward a wall. We cannot remove it from the building, and we cannot store it anyplace.
So the question is, if it were up to you, would you rather have a movable dais that costs some amount more, or would you prefer to have a permanent fixture that costs $24.5K? Let's assume you can have one or the other, but not both. Which do you prefer?
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I heard many people comment on the design and they were vocal about "doing the log cabin justice". With that said, I don't believe the make shift card tables are appropriate. I understand the reasoning for wanting a movable fixture, however moving it will damage the floors, even with the soft wide wheels (I know this from a past experience). I would vote for a permanent dais which could have a removable pad/cover to use for multiple purposes. As for the design, you won't please everyone and it's going to be expensive. Keep it simple, nice, and try to cut costs without jeopardizing it's function.
ReplyDeleteIn my view the dais does not need to be movable, I think David Coviello had the right idea to make the top flat so it can double as a table if there is a community event that needs it. I have been thinking what kind of community event will require a completely empty floor with no tables and I cannot think of one.
ReplyDeleteSo for me, the proposed fixed dais is fine if they remove the top lip to make it flat.
Good points Brad,
ReplyDeleteAfter having conversations about this with my son and my wife ( wife being apposed to spending 24,500.00 on a Dais at the moment) I think most people including myself were not suggesting to keep the card tables permanently but to use them for another year and save up for the dais the village deserves. The great thing about brain storming with neighbors is that some times you realize something you didn't before, in my case how much the dais might only be able to move in the room and that it may not be able to move out of the room. I supposed it could be built to get through a door but if it had the top that made it a multifunction surface than you would not need it to move from the room. I Agree on keeping it simple and true to the village hall look and feel. I think we should be aware that as you add things to the dais the price will go up and just the smallest detail can effect the cost in more than just one way. So that being said, I would agree with a dais set in a position in the room that is logical to a multifunction dais and asking the builder to throw in a final render in sketchup or Rhino for those that can not visualize as well as others. I think you will sell it to the villagers better with a final rendering. Multi purpose is a must in my book.
The second rendering was slightly smaller and less expensive. I (we) also were told that the price includes a new matching podium. So, there is some additional value there.
ReplyDeleteWhat was not clear is if the price includes all the electronics... and I'm thinking it does not. So, if it is a financial concern, perhaps that needs to be factored into the cost as a final estimate. Regardless, it looks to be a large and heavy piece of furniture. Moving it around could be problematic.
One reader wrote to me privately, with comments she didn't want to post with her name. She felt we definitely should have a dais, but it should not be fixed. "Movable would be better, if done properly," she said. She favored a smaller dais than the one proposed, and she thought the original design, with the angled "wings," would be good. She thought those "wings" should be collapsible, to make the unit more compact when not in use as a dais, and she thought the whole cabinet should be smaller, maybe 12-15 feet. She says the dais the Commission now uses is 12 feet. I'll fact-check this, but I suspect the dais the Commission now uses is about 16-18 feet. I looked carefully at it at the last Commission meeting, and I estimated its length.
ReplyDeleteThe reader also cautioned that we be "mindful of the maximum people use which is established by the Fire Marshall," as "this will determine what kind of rental use can be considered." She notes her understanding that the estimate is only for "small functions." Heidi Siegel has already addressed this issue, and it is her understanding that between the small size of the building and the limited parking space, occupancy would be limited to about 50 people.
The reader adds her own design ideas, which include that for the sake of style and to save money, she herself would have chosen a sleeker design, without the faux log facade. She prefers something "simple, yet tasteful."