Pennington County approves $250,000 design contract to remodel County Administration Building

Pennington County commissioners on Oct. 7 authorized up to $250,000 in design fees to move the current County Administration Building (CAB) into bid-ready plans for an interior remodel and reconfiguration.

The design contract with Coop Architecture will be funded from existing bond proceeds and covers architecture and engineering work to reconfigure office space so that the state's attorney's office and public defender's office can be colocated and to free space at the Public Safety Building. The board voted to approve the authorization; one commissioner voted no.

County Buildings and Grounds Director Davis Purcell told the board the remodel would be a phased interior reconfiguration without structural additions, with an estimated renovation benchmark of about $50 per square foot. Purcell said the plan preserves main public corridors, replaces a proprietary fire panel and devices, and updates mechanical, low-voltage and lighting where the remodel touches existing space. Purcell said conceptual layouts allow the state's attorney to expand into the commission chambers area, and the public defender's office would increase from roughly 8,100 square feet to about 13,700 square feet, providing room for future staff growth.

Sheriff Brian Mueller and Public Defender Eric Witcher both addressed the board about the plan. Mueller said he discussed options with Rapid City police and was comfortable with steps the county and public defender's office were taking to minimize client contact with warrant and civil records areas; he called for appropriate messaging and a controlled public entrance. Witcher said his concerns were risk-mitigation for clients entering a building that also houses warrant and civil services; Purcell and the sheriff described a potential dedicated entry/elevator route for public defender clients.

Commissioners said the reuse of existing bond proceeds and surplus proceeds from the bank building sale (now declared surplus) help fund the project. Commissioner Gail Adcock moved to authorize Purcell to proceed with contract documents, including an AIA amendment with Coop Architecture, not to exceed $250,000 using existing bond funds; Commissioner Rossknecht seconded. The motion carried 4–1; Commissioner Drews registered the lone dissent.

Purcell said construction bidding could be scheduled as early as December for a remodel bid package and that contractors had already expressed interest. He also explained the county's capital improvement (CIP) reserves and bond proceeds context: the county has approximately $33 million in remaining bond proceeds tied to larger capital work and a separate annual CIP allocation of $1 million for smaller projects.

The board's action completes the step from concept to design development; construction documents and bids must return to the board for approval before a contract award.

The county will publish a timeline and bring back construction documents and cost estimates to the board for further decisions.