FVCC picks architect for campus housing
CTA Architects Engineers has been picked to design and oversee the construction of the first on-campus housing at Flathead Valley Community College.
The college Board of Trustees on Monday voted unanimously to contract with CTA. Six companies applied for the project, which is supposed to be completed in time for the 2017 fall semester.
FVCC President Jane Karas said the decision was based on the college’s previous experience of working with the company on projects with difficult deadlines.
“We felt that to develop the relationship needed for such a big project in such a tight timeline would have been a push,” Karas said during the meeting. “We already know how CTA works in this type of situation.”
The board voted to move forward with the project in December after a survey revealed students felt it was difficult and expensive to find housing near the Kalispell campus.
The only current housing FVCC offers students is 15 off-campus units the college leased from Kalispell Regional Healthcare five years ago. Those units provide housing for 30 people out of the roughly 2,400 enrolled at FVCC.
The on-campus housing is expected to have between 100 and 150 beds for students. Karas said the rooms could cost roughly $650 a month.
The college has moved into negotiating a contract with CTA, Karas said.
She estimated the housing project would cost between $7 million and $9.5 million, though she hasn’t received a final estimate from the firm yet.
Karas said CTA moved ahead of other applicants because its offerings — such as mechanical, electrical and code review services — are under the same roof.
“And they’re local,” she said. “If something goes wrong, we don’t have to make a call to Missoula or out of state, they’re within minutes and will be accessible the entire time.”
After the school and firm reach a deal, they will begin to narrow down possible locations for the new building on the Kalispell campus.
Other applicants for the project included Dowling Studio Architects of Helena, Jackola of Kalispell, MacArthur, Means & Wells Architect of Missoula, Montana Creative Architecture and Design of Whitefish and Mosaic Architect of Helena.
Reporter Katheryn Houghton may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at khoughton@dailyinterlake.com.