Photo: Shive-Hattery architect, Phil Parrott, presents examples of finishing options the team will be discussing in the near future as plans proceed for the new Carroll County jail
The inclement weather on Tuesday morning did nothing to forestall a pre-planned meeting on the Carroll County jail project. Representatives from Des Moines-based architectural firm, Shive-Hattery, and from financial services company, DA Davidson, joined supervisors, the Carroll County Sheriff and the auditor to cover three main areas. Shive-Hattery began with an update on their pre-bid progress, including floorplan updates and the impact those have on associated estimated costs. Vice President of Public Finance with DA Davidson, Nathan Summers, provided insights into the timing of bond issuances to cover payments throughout the process. Architect and Industrial Team Lead with Shive-Hattery, Michael Lewis, says the geotechnical proposals came in about $1,700 below the budgeted amount. They expect the work to be completed and a report presented within three weeks.
Architect, Phil Parrott, reviewed the proposed changes to the plans that include a larger overhead door on the Sally-port entrance, an extension of the elevator to travel to the lowest level and provide access to the secured parking and some reconfiguring of spaces. The group was also brainstorming solutions for public-access elevators that tie the new jail to the courthouse, without making a significant impact on the budget. Lewis says as they studied the plans, they had concerns about extensive remodeling to have a public elevator that connects the two structures.
When the group talks about dropping to one elevator, they mean keeping the secured inmate elevator and installing one elevator to serve the two buildings, eliminating the older, current one. This topic is going into a continued review, but Lewis also wanted to address the cost adjustments for the blueprint revisions.
And while it is important to review the cost changes, both Lewis and Parrott say they are still below their 10 percent contingency in the project. They will continue to work on ways to tighten the plan and make decisions that will help bring these costs down. Everyone agreed that their goal is to work diligently on a facility that falls within the budgeted amount approved by the taxpayers of Carroll County.
