By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The cost of the new police station in Great Bend has gone up more than
$1 million in the span of just over three months. The Great Bend City Council
voted 6-2 Monday to move forward with the inflation expenses for a facility now
projected to cost more than $9.1 million.
In early February, the city council approved a conceptual design and budget
estimate for the new police station to be built at the southwest corner of the
12th Street and Baker Avenue intersection. At that time, the cost was more than
$383,000 above budget at $8,083,387.
Due to rising costs of materials, construction and architect officials told the
city council the estimated price has increased again. Paul Michell, Managing
Vice President with GLMV Architecture, presented options to reduce 3,400 square
feet of the facility.
"Reducing the quality of things like carpet, paint, ceilings and the outside of the building moves the needle on the cost, but not to the degree of square footage on the project. That's where you're really going to save dollars."
The proposed 20,100 square-foot police station includes a new municipal courtroom.
Michell presented a plan to eliminate the court room from the design, saving
the city $1.2 million. This would force the courtroom to remain in its current
location, attached to the police station on Williams Street. The council voted
in favor of keeping the new courtroom as part of the construction.
"We as designers, feel there is a lot of synergy to keeping the police and court together," said Michell. "In the event that there's an incident at the court, the police station is right there for an easy response."
Citizens voted in favor of a .10% sales tax increase last November to go
towards bond debt for the police station. The city anticipates more than $5.6
million from the bond proceeds over the 20-year sunset. The city will find
savings to make up the difference.
Very early estimates from last September projected a cost of $5.8 million for the project. The new $9,114,833 figure includes a 2% contingency cost of $178,722.