County officials pledged to move forward with the demolition of the Western Grocer building to build a new judicial center by expanding the current law enforcement center building to the south in a workshop Monday.

Tuesday, February 26, 2002

County officials pledged to move forward with the demolition of the Western Grocer building to build a new judicial center by expanding the current law enforcement center building to the south in a workshop Monday. Bidding for the demolition would be held March 26, and the demolition would end by June 15.

According to a presentation by BKV Group, an engineering firm the county contracted with to administrate the demolition process and design the new judicial facility, the bid would be taken in late March following a pre-bid walk through on March 14.

J. Owen Boarman of BKV Group said the company has almost finished the preparation of necessary contract documents.

However, Jon Rall of CSI, a partner of BKV Group, pointed out the demolition would have to start only after crews removed all hazardous material, and the county has to facilitate an environmental assessment for it.

The county has already conducted a phase I environmental study on the site. The next step would include an underground contamination survey so the county can figure out the scope of the abatement project.

To ship out debris from the site, the county also needs to ensure access from Pearl Street.

County Administrator Ron Gabrielsen said the City of Albert Lea has already notified the county that it would let the county annex two-thirds of the street promptly. The rest of the street is to be transferred later, after the county would acquire the east edge of the block next to the Western Grocer building.

Rall also urged the county to survey salvageable materials from the old building. &uot;Some lumber used there cannot be found in the market,&uot; he said. Rall expects salvaging such goods could contribute to pushing down the bidding price.

BKV Group also brought a detailed floor plan of the new judicial center.

It modified the original proposal by adding a 1,200-square-foot hearing room that can be also used as a third courtroom on the second floor. Also, the plan includes a possible installation of a mezzanine for the entire jail space on the lower level, which enables the facility to have a maximum of 200 beds.

The cost estimate for the 11,000-square-foot facility – 80,000-square-foot new construction and 30,000-square-feet from remodeling of the current LEC -&160;will be complete by the next workshop, March 11.

Similar projects in other counties cost $120 to $170 per square foot, according to research by BKV.

The project timeline says the bidding for the new criminal justice center would be between late August and mid-September. The construction would start mid-October.