Construction is underway to lay the foundation for downtown Columbia's Chrysalis amphitheater, the stage, pavilion and sculpture in Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods that held its groundbreaking in September.

Built by Inner Arbor Trust general contractor Whiting-Turner Contracting, the 5000-square-foot Chrysalis will sit east of Merriweather Post Pavilion, with additional attractions planned across the 16.5 acres. The pavilion is expected to hold up to 400 people.

Inner Arbor Trust President and CEO Michael McCall compared the amphitheater's shape to a parachute. He said designers, engineers, contractors, specialty fabricators and installers are focusing construction on its concrete foundation to ensure stability.

Engineering firm ARUP designed the foundation and flooring, McCall said. Using a wind tunnel at BTM Fluid Mechanics in London, engineers simulated high winds on a digitally printed 3D model of the Chrysalis to test its durability.

William Zahner, president of engineering and fabrication company A. Zahner Co., said his team is designing and building the Chrysalis' steel and aluminum canopy, which will later be bolted to the foundation and floor. Zahner's subcontractor, Walters Group, is also working on the curving and wielding of the structural steel.

β€œThe steel structure is going to be incredibly elaborate and super strong,” Zahner said.

Zahner said his company is also constructing the panels that will shape the Chrysalis and its architectural surface, using algorithms similar to those used in designing the fuselage of an airplane.

The Chrysalis is funded by a county grant of approximately $6.4 million over three fiscal years, with an entire development plan costing approximately $30 million over the next seven years. Construction on the Chrysalis is expected to be completed by fall, McCall said, with a grand opening planned for spring 2017.

Government website gets a face-lift

Howard County government rolled out a revamped website last week, a $260,000 project the county hopes will be easier to use than its predecessor, which used eight-year-old software and took as long as a day to update.

A second version of the site, which will correct dead links and allow users to access the county's document repository, will be finalized by April 16, said Chris Merdon, director of the Department of Technology and Communication Services.

Merdon said residents felt the county's old site was difficult to navigate. The new howardcountymd.gov site features a new navigation menu and a landing page sectioned off by categories. The site is also mobile-friendly.

The redesign began in February last year and cost roughly $260,000, a figure that includes design, licensing hosting and some development, Merdon said.

β€”?Fatimah Waseem

Nonprofit offering income tax help

MakingChange, a Howard County nonprofit, is hosting a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site at the Multiservice Center in North Laurel, offering free tax assistance preparation and filing to most taxpayers who earned up to $54,000 in 2015. The taxpayer's eligibility for the Earned Income Tax Credit can also be determined.

The site also offers free direct deposit of refunds, free prepaid cards for receipt of the refund, letters to cash refund checks free at a local bank and the option to purchase U.S. Savings Bonds.

The VITA site is located at the Multiservice Center, 9900 Washington Boulevard (U.S. 1) in Laurel. Appointments can be scheduled at bit.ly/makingchangevita or by calling 410-313-0220.

Taxpayers who made less than $62,000 can file their own federal and state tax returns for free at myfreetaxes.com. This year's tax deadline is Monday, April 18. MakingChange also provides group seminars and personal coaching to teach people to manage their money. For more information, go to makingchangecenter.org.

β€”?Baltimore Sun Media Group