County mulls cost-cutting for South Campus Building

A work session on Friday to discuss the cost of Flathead County’s South Campus Building revealed the county could save well over $300,000 by trimming various building amenities.

Some of the proposed cutbacks may not be practical, though, such as eliminating a $43,000 backup generator system in a building that would have industrial-sized walk-in refrigerators for the senior meal program.

Commissioner Phil Mitchell asked for the special meeting with general contractor Swank Enterprises and CTA Architects Engineers to address a projected $1 million cost overrun for the two-story building planned on First Avenue West next to the Earl Bennett Building.

The county has $6 million in its capital improvement budget for the project, but it’s likely the building will cost closer to $7 million.

The South Campus Building will provide space for the Agency on Aging and Kalispell Senior Center on the first floor. The second floor will house the Planning and Zoning Office, the Health Department’s environmental health division and Medicaid Health Improvement Program. There’s also space for future information technology needs.

Swank and CTA collaborated on a cost-value analysis that showed areas of potential cost-cutting in five areas, including the building site, exterior, interior, mechanical and electrical fixtures.

David Koel, associate principal of CTA, pointed out a number of ways to trim costs, such as using metal to reduce the amount of brick in the building and scaling back a landscaped area where seniors could eat and visit outdoors.

Reducing the size of covered canopies around the building could save $20,000.

A skylight built into the design to allow more natural light could be eliminated and would save $15,000. The atrium featured inside the main entrance could be eliminated in lieu of more office space on the second floor, but doing so could add up to $100,000 to the total cost.

Some of the potential cost shavings are cosmetic. By using a different manufacturer and type of window coverings. the county could save $10,000. Using a different kind of floor tile could save $15,000.

Other cost-cutting measures involve structural elements such as the elevator system. Switching from a proposed electric traction elevator to a hydraulic system would save $8,000.

County Health Administrator Joe Russell, who works in the Earl Bennett Building, has been called upon at times to fix problems with the elevator in that building. He cautioned the commissioners not to trim costs on such a vital building component.

“I’d never, ever, ever scrimp on elevators,” Russell said.

Russell also said he couldn’t go cheap on the chilled-water system proposed for air-conditioning. By installing a different “DX” cooling system the county could save close to $42,000.

Agency on Aging Director Lisa Sheppard said she appreciated CTA’s plan to preserve some outdoor space for seniors.

“Any of the changes that might affect the ability to keep sidewalks clear, we’d need to look at that,” Sheppard said.

She said the agency’s congregate meal program would lose a lot if there were a power outage and no backup generator. The program buys food in bulk to save money and often stores large quantities of refrigerated and frozen food.

County Maintenance Director Jed Fisher pointed out that there could be cost savings in simplifying the parking lot to make snow removal easier. He also favored keeping the canopies as a way to cut down on maintenance.

“If it protects sidewalks I’m all for it,” Fisher said. “I spend a lot of money on plowing, salting and sanding.”

In addition to the cost savings itemized, eliminating the structural provisions for a future third floor of the building could save another $250,000. And eliminating footings for a future sky bridge could shave off $40,000.

Mitchell said he felt it was important to have a work session with the contractor and architect to look at itemized cost savings.

“We have to decide wants versus needs,” he said. “I think there are some savings without hurting the building.”

The South Campus Building will be paid for with the county’s payment-in-lieu-of-taxes appropriations from the federal government that compensate counties for lost tax revenue from public lands.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by email at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.