Bellevue city planners have so far managed to shave about $1 million off the construction cost of the new City Hall, which last month was $11.3 million over budget.

The overrun, which the city and the project's contractor are fighting about, forced the city to undertake a cost-savings effort. Dozens of electrical, materials and signage changes have all been made in order to lower the cost of the project — a retrofit of a seven-story downtown building.

City planners have also decided to defer most of the public-art projects planned for the building, saving an additional half-million dollars in nonconstruction costs.

Among the dozens of construction savings measures:

• Deleting large sunscreens for the windows above the public concourse (saved $60,000).

• Using metal-clad cable instead of steel conduit (saved $109,000).

• Deleting graffiti repellent from the base of the building (saved $71,000).

• Deleting a wheelchair lift (saved $12,600).

Altogether, $517,000 worth of art is being deferred, out of an original total of $893,138. Three art pieces — two large sculptures and a 60-foot-tall compass — will not be included in the project now, and leaders cannot say for sure if they will be added later.

A fourth planned art element, worked into the design of the terrazzo floor, will be completed.

Some of the art money has been spent on design, explained Carla Weinheimer, the city's community-development manager. If the projects are added later, that money won't have been wasted, she said.

Members of the city's Arts Commission have heard some concern from the public over the deferment, said Mary Pat Byrne, Bellevue's arts specialist. They've been told that city leaders intend to find money for the art, and the commission will continue to support the project, she said.

"They've been advocating for that art since the beginning," Byrne said. "And they'll continue to push for it."

City planners expect up to $2 million in additional savings when a portion of the City Hall project — the metal panels slated for the building's outside skin — is rebid in the next few weeks.

"We're counting on that as a likely savings, but we don't know for sure yet," said City Manager Steve Sarkozy.

The original bids for that job and 13 other project packages came in way over cost estimates in December and January, pushing the project past its $71 million construction goal. The price was guaranteed to the city by the general contractor, Lease Crutcher Lewis, who could be liable for the overage.

Under a temporary agreement, the city and Lease agreed to split the extra costs to keep the project moving, but each party thinks the other is responsible. Mediation in the fall, and possible litigation if that doesn't work, will determine who ultimately will pay for the overrun.

Both the city and the contractor have said they attribute at least part of the overrun to a lack of competition for certain packages, a glut of new construction in Bellevue and an increase in the cost of materials, especially steel.

In the meantime, construction is on schedule to meet the goal of a January opening, Weinheimer said.

Natalie Singer: 206-464-2704 or nsinger@seattletimes.com