Blaine County Courthouse third floor remodel to begin June 13, contract signed
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The Blaine County Commissioners approved the construction contract that will launch the third floor remodel project at the courthouse. After the bidding process was completed on April 20, the commissioners asked the architect to make some modifications to get the cost of the project more in line with the budgeted amounts. That work all came together in June when commissioners approved the contract for $444,400.
Commissioners said earlier there were three bidders on the project. The funds for the project will come from the county’s Building Improvement account that is used to finance building upgrades and improvements. Fisher Construction, Inc.’s low bid of $503,000 was received on April 20. Commissioners decided to use a less expensive ‘interior finish package’ and that reduced the final remodel cost to the $444,400 figure.
Later the same day the construction contract was signed, the preconstruction meeting was held. That involved the commissioners, several key county employees, the architect and representatives of Fisher Construction who will be doing the remodel work. The meeting, following a detailed agenda, was organized to make all parties aware of how and when the work would proceed and allowed for some additional walk-throughs of the areas to be remodeled.
Durward Sobek, the architect who has been shepherding the project since discussion to consolidate the county’s judicial-related offices first began in 2008-2009, said, “Every project has its particular issues of concern and the preconstruction meeting is a good time to get those all on the table. One concern we have is doing construction work during court sessions. Some of this work is near the courtroom and the contractor will have to take noise and other construction effects into account.”
Sobek added, “Once we work through all the details of the project with the commissioners and the contractor, I will issue a ‘notice to proceed.’ That officially sets the clock ticking for the 120-day period the contractor has to complete the work. The proceed notice should be issued shortly after today’s meeting.” Before the preconstruction meeting representatives with Fisher Construction said they understood the start date would likely be Monday, June 13, and added, “That gives us until October 3 to complete the remodel.”
Fisher Construction, Inc., is based in Billings and has projects going at various locales around Montana. Asked about construction related ‘help wanted’ ads in local newspapers, Fisher representatives affirmed the company also has a building project going in Havre.
Space Planning for People, PC, the architectural firm that designed the third floor remodel of the courthouse, is also based in Billings. They are involved in projects as varied as an expansion for a women’s prison in Billings to a city hall construction in Colstrip and several commercial projects at a refinery in Laurel. They also work with churches and schools and recently designed and oversaw the construction of The Fitness Center for the Box Elder schools.
