The full deconstruct and rebuild of Hermann Monument will cost $11,660,463.27 according to a detailed report from MacDonald & Mack Architects. Photo by Clay Schuldt

NEW ULM – The numbers are in and to fully restore the Hermann Monument it will cost over $11.6 million.

This estimate comes from a report prepared by MacDonald & Mack Architects. In November, the New Ulm City Council approved a contract for the architecture firm to create a report detailing the phases and costs to dismantle and reconstruct Hermann Monument. The council was presented with the report during Tuesday’s work session.

“This is report is looking at deconstruction and ultimately the reconstruction of the Hermann Monument,” Park and Recreation Director Joey Schugel said.

Schugel added that as the project was estimated to take time to complete, many of the figures would fluctuate throughout the process.

According to the report, the first phase of the project would cost $2.5 million. This phase includes project mobilization and site preparation in addition to the dismantling the monument. The dismantling process alone will cost $2.27 million.

The second phase was the reconstruction of the monument. The interpretive center in the main level of the monument will cost $3.28 million. The colonnade section above the interpretive center will cost $720,000 to reconstruct. The masonry, stairs and other stone work was estimated at $344,000. The cupola reconstruction is estimated at just under $1 million. The project closeout, including the re-installation of the Hermann and lion statues was another $348,000.

The estimate included another $3 million in miscellaneous costs for construction bonds and project manager expenses.

In total, the project to dismantle and rebuild Hermann would cost $11,660,463.27.

Schugel said during the reconstruction phase, work crews would determine if any material from the monument could be reused. If some of the materials is reusable, the cost could go down, but Schugel said it will not be known if this is possible until the project starts.

Schugel said the assumption with the report is that most materials would not be reusable.

Councilor Tom Schmitz asked if there was enough space at Hermann Heights Park to perform the deconstruct and rebuild without shutting the entire park down and for how long.

Schugel said the shelters in Hermann Heights Park would probably be impacted, but the playground area should remain open.

New Ulm Building Official Ellwood Zabel said the entire project would likely take two years to complete.

With the cost estimates in, the city will need to look for additional funding sources. Schugel warned that State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) grants would not be realistic for the project. He said SHPO grants are too small for this scale of project. He recommending looking into Legacy Funds.

With Legacy Funds, the city would need to provide some matching funds, but it would not necessarily be a 50/50 split.

As this was a work session, no official decision was made during the meeting.

Schugel said the report would come back to the city council during next New Ulm City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 7. Representatives from MacDonald & Mack would attend the meeting to answer follow-up questions.