By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
As the interior walls continue to go up, it
seems like every day there is a large amount of progress with the construction
of new Great Bend Justice Center, which will house the police station and
municipal court. McCownGordon Construction anticipates putting the trusses up
this week to eventually begin on the roof of the 20,100 square-foot facility,
according to Interim City Administrator Logan Burns.
"They're working on getting the building shell completed, getting the walls sheeted and the roof on," said Burns. "We started this project right in the middle of winter. That's the most challenging time to start, but we're not finishing drywall right now, so that helps. We've made some pretty good headway. We have the storm shelter completed."
The $8.8 million project, at 12th Street and Baker Avenue, is mostly being paid for from the .10% sales tax
increase approved in November 2021 by a vote. The new police station and
municipal courtroom will replace the station on Williams Street that was built
in 1938.
Once the construction is complete, the city will look to equip the
facility with new furniture.
"We're trying to figure out what to take over there," said Burns. "We're putting together some bid packages for the furniture. It'll be an entirely new look inside as well."
Burns said the project is still on schedule to be completed sometime in August.