Latest news with #GreaterCheyenneChamberof
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
City of Cheyenne considers $4 million restoration of 133-year-old pumphouse
CHEYENNE — The historic pumphouse in downtown Cheyenne was constructed in 1892 and has been out of commission since 1920. Now, the city is considering spending an estimated $4 million to renovate it and lease it out. Last year, this was one of Cheyenne City Council's top priorities. On Friday, members of the governing body met to hear updates on the project. Randy Byers, the principal architect with design firm TDSi, gave a presentation about the historic pumphouse and potential ways to pursue the idea. From the outside, he said, the building looks like it's on its last leg and about to crumble. However, Byers said, its condition is not as bad as it seems. 'It looks like it's about ready to come down,' he said. 'Honestly, every time we are at the building, doing more reconnaissance and field measurement and an examination of the building, each time I am more amazed at what good shape overall the structure of the building is in.' He said there are no stress cracks in the brick walls, which is common in other buildings with similar bricks, and that some roof members are charred from fires through the years, which has possibly protected the rest of the wood. 'Overall, the building is in resoundingly good shape for its age and for what it's been through, and it is certainly worthy of examination and consideration for repurposing and restoration,' he said. The pumphouse is constructed in the Richardsonian Romanesque architecture style, the same as the historic Cheyenne Depot, and currently is around 3,800 square feet. When the building was first put into use, it pulled water from Crow Creek, and there was a 2.5-million-gallon concrete-lined reservoir on the west side of the building. In the heart of the pumphouse was a Holly duplex steam pump. When in commission, the pump produced 2 million gallons of water per day and pressurized the fire hydrants in town to 100 psi. Before telephones were available at the facility, the fire department would ring a bell when they needed the pressure upped at fire hydrants. Byers said the facility was manned and operated nearly 24 hours per day. Byers said his team was mindful of preserving and restoring the history of the structure in putting together the renovation plan, while also working with the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, which is interested in leasing the space when renovated, to meet the needs of its offices. This plan includes tenant offices, workstations, restrooms and a large conference room. Byers said he anticipates utilizing the large attic space for mechanical equipment storage. The original roofing on the building was tin shingles, and Byers said his team has found sources to replace the shingles exactly as they were on the original building. However, the full renovation of this structure will be costly, and the governing body is unsure of all funding sources at this point. Currently there are no utilities connected to or in the building. It will need all new mechanical, electrical, interior restoration, stone renovation, roof replacement, roof reinforcement, reconstruction of the overhangs that have been cut off and brackets that have been removed to bring the building close to its original appearance. The $4 million cost estimate includes a little over $500,000 in built-in contingency. Another option would be to mothball the building, supporting it enough that it doesn't suffer further degradation or vandalism, but not prepare it for a tenant to move in. This is estimated to cost around $1 million. Byers said the greatest danger for this building in the near future, if not renovated, is that it could suffer the same fate as the old Hitching Post Inn. Not necessarily arson, he said, but if a squatter starts a fire in the building to stay warm in the winter, it could quickly get out of hand and take down the structure. The decision of whether to renovate, mothball or do nothing at all, will come before the City Council when TDSi has completed its contract for construction drawings on the project. If council members decide to move forward with renovations, bidding for the project could then begin. Several council members asked questions and proposed ideas regarding the project. Council member Tom Segrave suggested the city consider adding amenities for the Cheyenne Greenway at the site, like a water station and a solar-powered bicycle tire air pump. Council member Pete Laybourn suggested the city consider addressing the adjacent wetlands as part of this project, ultimately tidying the area up to further invest in West Edge revitalization at the intersection of the west end of 15th Street and the Reed Avenue Rail Corridor. 'This kind of multi-million-dollar investment deserves adjacent effort in that area,' he said. The city approved a $424,00 contract with TDSi last September to complete construction documents for the historic pumphouse.
Yahoo
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State superintendent shares plan to improve Wyoming education
CHEYENNE — The future of Wyoming's workforce is heavily dependent on the quality of education, a belief that State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder reiterated to business owners Friday afternoon. Appearing as the guest speaker for the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce's monthly luncheon at Little America, Degenfelder discussed student performance, literacy and where Wyoming's education system can improve. 'The state of education is good, but we still have much work to do,' Degenfelder said. 'As business leaders, I do not need to explain to you all the importance of education. In fact, I think it should be our top priority as policymakers in the state. Our Founding Fathers found value in funding education because they knew that the key to building the greatest country on Earth was a well-educated citizenry.' Degenfelder noted that this drive for quality education is exactly why Wyomingites should be concerned about the results of the 2024 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), which showed a nationwide drop in reading proficiency. 'While we should absolutely celebrate our results staying relatively stable and above many other states, we should not settle for anything less than progress,' Degenfelder said. 'Wyoming doesn't do just good enough, we aim higher. And progress is possible, but we need bold, innovative leadership in Wyoming.' Degenfelder also noted that two years into her term, the state has made substantial progress on her strategic plan. The plan prioritizes parental empowerment and eliminating political bias; preparing students for jobs through career and technical education; developing citizenship for students; reducing bureaucracy and creating efficiencies; valuing and supporting teachers; and improving outcomes through early literacy. Parental empowerment The issue of parental rights and choice has been a hot topic in the state. Degenfelder has made it a priority to make policies that prioritize parent choice. This has included school choice, controversial library policies, transparency initiatives and anti-transgender legislation, requiring the reporting of health changes to parents. Ten school districts in the state have joined a curriculum transparency initiative, including Laramie County School District 1. 'At the end of the day, parents should be the No. 1 decision maker in their child's education,' Degenfelder said. The state superintendent has also supported public charter schools and education savings accounts, which she sees as an improvement in choice. 'I was a product of our traditional system, and wouldn't have changed a thing,' Degenfelder said. 'But it doesn't work as well for other families and situations. So, we're going to continue to build that and make sure that it works and we can keep a robust public education system, but also have choices for parents.' Degenfelder's values have also influenced her support of President Donald Trump attempting to close the U.S. Department of Education, which one attendee asked her to explain. 'We know how to do this without the federal agency,' Degenfelder said. 'And so that doesn't mean that the programs and services are going away. What that can mean is more of a block grant model to our states to be able to determine how we're going to handle education, reducing the bureaucracy, and the red tape that's associated.' The federal Department of Education was established in 1979 by former President Jimmy Carter; however, the federal government has had a role in education since the mid-1800s. It isn't certain yet what the federal government's involvement in education would be should President Trump successfully close the department, but Degenfelder sees an opportunity to increase flexibility for students. 'There's a lot of fear of the unknown out there right now, but I really think it's a great opportunity to be able again to take back power as states,' Degenfelder said. Future workforce Since she was presenting to local business leaders, Degenfelder made a point to demonstrate how local education builds the future workforce. 'Not only have we been able to significantly reduce the red tape that existed for career and technical education dollars to get from the federal and state government to our local districts,' Degenfelder said, 'but we also worked with the Legislature to double our funding for career and technical student organizations.' Programs like FFA, FBLA, FCCLA and DECA prepare students for the workforce. The state is also increasing workforce credentials and work-based learning opportunities, Degenfelder said. The state is piloting project-based learning and competency-based learning, and working to connect Native American students with career and technical opportunities. Degenfelder pointed to attempts to expand financial literacy instruction as an example of innovative ways to help students and local businesses. 'Imagine a Wyoming where students can learn far beyond the confines of a classroom,' Degenfelder said. '... That's what we're working toward in Wyoming education, because real-world experience counts when preparing the next generation of Wyoming's workforce.' Literacy NAEP results showed nationwide decreases in literacy. Despite this, Wyoming's fourth- and eighth-graders continued to perform above the national average in reading and mathematics, holding steady with 2022 scores, according to the Wyoming Department of Education. For Degenfelder, this doesn't mean that the state shouldn't pursue improvements, particularly in literacy. 'We know that if the child cannot read by the third grade their future is limited, and so we're currently in the process of discussing major literacy reform in the state of Wyoming, based on national best practices,' Degenfelder said. For the past three years, on average, fewer than 50% of Wyoming students have performed proficient or above on the English language arts assessment. Additionally, advocacy groups have expressed frustrations with the quality of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) in the state, which are typically used for students with some sort of physical or learning disability. 'We have to do better for our kids,' Degenfelder said. 'I believe, truly, that if we continue to work on these initiatives that I've outlined for you today, the next generation will be better prepared to enter the Wyoming workforce. They'll be better prepared to be patriotic citizens, and they'll be better prepared to be the visionaries that keep our state strong.' Teachers Degenfelder established a teacher retention and recruitment task force, composed of nearly 30 stakeholders across the state. They developed recommendations for teacher retention that would also attract new teachers. Recommendations such as the development of a principal leadership academy, reducing content and performance standards by nearly 70%, reducing the assessment burden for teachers and students, and launching a mental health framework have already begun to be implemented, according to Degenfelder. The WDE also intends to continue highlighting the work of teachers across the state. They also hope to create a network through which they can connect innovative teachers across the state for mentorship, Degenfelder told luncheon attendees. This mutual mentorship between teachers would take place within their area of expertise with the intent of them working together to better serve students. 'The vast majority of our students are doing an exceptional job in the classroom, and we need to ensure that the system isn't holding them back,' Degenfelder said. 'Supporting Wyoming teachers doesn't need to mean more bureaucracy. It means giving teachers the freedom to do their jobs.'
