City buildings need $11.8 million in replacements within five years. On Monday the council discusses a $3.3 million LED, HVAC and thermostat contract paid for by savings.

Alpharetta’s city buildings need about $11.8 million in replacement work over the next five years, a survey of 60 city facilities found. On Monday the City Council will discuss a $3.3 million contract to tackle part of that list with work the city says will pay for itself through lower energy bills.

The figures are in the agenda packet for the Oct. 19 council meeting. The item is a work session discussion. No vote will be taken. City staff are asking the council for direction before bringing a formal recommendation to award the contract.

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the council chambers at City Hall, 2 Park Plaza.

What the survey found

The city hired McKinstry, an energy services company, in August 2024 to inspect its buildings and score every major piece of equipment. The report was delivered in April 2025 and updated this month, the packet says. It covers:

  • 60 buildings and sites, about 629,000 square feet
  • 4,134 individual assets, from roofs and HVAC units to field lights and water heaters
  • $34.7 million to replace everything over 30 years
  • $11.8 million of that in years one to five
  • an average of 8.5 years of useful life left

Each asset was scored from 1 (great or new) to 5 (very poor, needs replacement). The citywide average was 3.02, which the report calls the expected condition for the age of the buildings.

Parks carry two-thirds of the near-term bill

Recreation, parks and cultural buildings account for 67% of the five-year cost, about $7.85 million, the packet says. That is mostly ballfields and courts. Sports lighting alone is 41% of the $11.8 million, and the city says lighting work is already under way at North Park and Wills Park.

Bar chart of Alpharetta's estimated building replacement costs in years 1 to 5 by department: parks, recreation and cultural $7,850,300; police, jail and Crabapple building $1,375,250; fire stations and headquarters $1,296,660; Public Works $798,980; City Hall $384,820; parking decks $44,420.
Five-year replacement need by department, from the city's facility condition assessment. Chart by Alpharetta Now
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The largest five-year needs by park and building, from the summary table:

Facility Five-year replacement cost Average condition score
Wills Park $2,519,810 2.96
North Park $1,868,720 2.83
Webb Bridge Park $1,444,180 3.09
Innovation Academy fields and restrooms $668,700 3.08
Crabapple Government Building $576,540 3.14
City Hall $384,820 3.05
Jail and Criminal Investigations $382,620 3.18
Fire Station Headquarters $303,550 3.03

Some scores are already out of date. The North Park softball restroom and concession building scored a poor 3.63 in the survey. The city has since replaced it, so it now scores a 1, the packet says.

Among the larger buildings, public safety has the least life left. The Crabapple Government Building averages 4.3 years, Fire Station Headquarters 4.6 years and the jail and Criminal Investigations building 5.8 years.

What the $3.3 million contract would do

The proposal is an energy savings performance contract, a kind of deal allowed under Georgia law. McKinstry would design, buy and install the work, and guarantee a minimum level of savings. If savings fall short, McKinstry pays the city the difference, according to the staff report.

The work includes:

  • LED lighting: 3,750 fixtures at 43 sites
  • seven HVAC units replaced at six facilities
  • 109 networked thermostats at 28 facilities
  • weather-stripping, sealing and window tint at 12 facilities
  • low-flow aerators and flush valves at 55 facilities
  • a systems review at five buildings: the Alpharetta Arts Center, Fire Station Headquarters, City Hall, Police Headquarters and the Wills Park Pool

The contract does not cover the whole $11.8 million. Staff say the operating and capital budgets fund the rest. The fiscal 2027 budget set aside $2 million for facility maintenance, including $90,000 for roofs, $210,000 for HVAC and $100,000 for generators.

The staff report gives one reason for doing the lighting in bulk. Since October 2025, Public Works crews have replaced 133 light fixtures in city buildings, at about two hours each. Some fixtures at City Hall need a motorized lift.

A large carpeted meeting room inside Alpharetta City Hall with recessed ceiling lights, framed art on the walls and chairs along the edges.
A meeting room inside Alpharetta City Hall. Photo: Alpharetta City Hall by atlnature (CC BY 2.0), via Flickr

How it would be paid for

The packet sets out the money this way:

Item Amount
Total contract cost $3,340,105
City contribution from the fiscal 2027 budget $1,207,302
Utility incentives and rebates $182,803
Tax-exempt lease financing, 15 years at an estimated 4.6% $1,950,000
Estimated interest on the lease $876,501
Guaranteed savings over 20 years $4,806,213
Net savings over 20 years $772,410

McKinstry would guarantee about $176,000 in savings in the first full year, rising about 3% a year for 20 years. Lease payments start at about $146,000 a year, also rising about 3%. Staff say that leaves the budget about $30,000 a year better off while the lease is paid.

The city’s own schedule shows the payback is slow. The upfront contribution is not recovered until 2045, the 19th year, the table shows. Staff say actual savings are likely to be higher than the guarantee, because crews would spend less time on repairs and the city would run fewer separate purchasing processes.

Also on Monday’s agenda

  • North Point Mall tax district. A vote on the agreement that would add Fulton County property taxes to the North Point tax allocation district. We covered it in what the NHL arena tax district means.
  • Stormwater design. A contract of up to $199,188.48 with Halff to design stormwater improvements for Northwinds Parkway and the Alpha Loop.
  • Farm House Heritage Park. Ratification of a revised Fulton County agreement for work at the park site at 0 Morris Road, which crosses a county sewer easement. The council first approved it June 1.

What it means for you

  • Nothing changes yet. Monday is a discussion. A contract award would come back to the council as a separate item.
  • Park users are most affected by the wider repair list. Field lighting at North Park and Wills Park is already being converted to LED, and new restrooms recently opened at both parks, the packet says.
  • To comment, speak during public comment at Monday’s meeting or contact your council members through our guide to who to call at City Hall.

Our property tax guide explains how the city budget is funded.