Harford County is moving forward with its plan to repair and re-occupy the former Harford County Council building, also known as the "Black Box," at 212 S. Bond St. in Bel Air.
Bids have gone out for work needed on the building, County Spokesman Bob Thomas said Monday.
"The county is in the process of getting bids for companies to perform welding, to repair three joists from sections that were removed for testing and evaluated earlier this year, and also for some work on tension rods located above the third floor. That's pretty much the extent of any structural repair work," Thomas said.
Afterward, the county will also improve the heating and air-conditioning system and replacing damaged or missing ceiling tiles, he said.
"We hope to have all the work finished between now and the end of the year," he said.
A permit was approved by the town of Bel Air on Sept. 30, he said.
Engineers told county officials in July the building would be safe to reoccupy after about $64,000 worth of repairs is completed.
Harford County Executive David Craig's office said at that time the Hunt Valley-based firm Century Engineering determined employees can eventually move back into the building and the repairs are not "cost prohibitive."
Century Engineering released a report June 30 saying it performed a battery of inspections and tests after employees first reported cracks and deflections in walls and floors in December 2010.
The building had a number of possible issues. For example, the "levelness" of the floor was found to vary significantly, according to an initial report by McCon Engineering.
Century Engineering said in its report, however, "the building was found to be structurally adequate for the general office use for which it was originally designed. It is not well-suited for concentrated office storage."
The costs estimated by the engineer include $11,500 worth of miscellaneous repairs, such as repairing carpet and the council chamber partition wall, and reinstalling ductwork, light fixtures and ceiling tiles.
The 26-year-old "Black Box" has been empty since Jan. 3, when county officials were told the building was structurally unsafe because its floor joists are separating from its steel beams.
More than 70 Harford County government employees, including those from the county council office, public works department and Cultural Arts Board, were reshuffled to other locations.
The county council has been holding its meetings at Harford County Public Schools' headquarters on Hickory Avenue.