Renovation work on the Gust Akerlund Studio foundation is underway, as noted at the Cokato City Council meeting last Monday.
Work began Wednesday, and will include the front half of the building put up on jacks facing Broadway.  The whole building will not be jacked up, however, said Museum Director Mike Worcester.
Before the bracing, some initial work is necessary such as disconnecting the ventilation ducting in the crawl space.
The best case scenario is that the work can be done in one month’s time, Worcester noted.
Part of the venting cost was a surprise budget wise, but Worcester hopes it will be small in nature. Council Member Butch Amundsen expressed concern about the extra cost, and that the bid was too low.
Amundsen wanted to know if more surprises would come.
Worcester built in a personal visit from each bidder into the bidding process, and made extra precautions  to make sure that bidders knew what they were walking into.
This work is being paid for with a matching grant by the state.