Repairs to county building may top $500K

BY JESSICA DYER

JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

The damage caused by October gunfire may end up requiring over $500,000 in repairs at Bernalillo County’s Downtown headquarters — over 10 times more than initially reported.

The latest estimate prepared by HB Construction and now awaiting authorization from the county’s insurance provider lists $473,309 in proposed expenses, records show. That’s on top of about $38,000 already spent to clean up and make some repairs in the shooting’s immediate aftermath.

Initial reports estimated that the shooting had caused about $45,000 in damage, but the full extent took some time to determine, a county official said Friday. She said strong winds in the days following the shooting that shattered 10 windows in the atriumstyle eight-story building made it too unsafe to access parts of the building. But once officials could perform a full walkthrough, they “came to a thorough understanding it was not just the windows that were damaged,” county Risk Management Director Gina Ortega said this week.

Bullets struck windows as high as the sixth floor, and the glass that crashed down harmed floors, countertops and more, she said.

The pending repair proposal, which the Journal obtained via a public records request, includes replacing part of the roof, repairing drywall and stucco, painting, patching and buffing out damaged countertops.

Insurance is expected to cover the bills, though the county would have to pay a $25,000 deductible, Ortega said.

The shooting occurred in the wee hours of Oct. 11. Only security personnel were inside the building, formally called Bernalillo County @ Alvarado

Square, when the shooting occurred. No one was hurt, but the building remained closed for 10 days.

Two people have been charged in connection with the shooting.

Noah Tapia has been charged with shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, criminal damage to property, tampering with evidence and conspiracy. Marcus Rowe, 18, has been charged with shooting at a dwelling or occupied building, criminal damage to property and conspiracy.

The county had just opened the new headquarters in August following a $68 million renovation.