County hears schematic design for new transit garage; option priced near $3.3 million

Boone County officials reviewed schematic designs Thursday for a new transit facility that would store up to 12 buses and provide office and limited maintenance space on the county administration campus. Dan Saavedra, Saavedra Group Architects, told the board the design team recommends “Option 3,” a compact but functional garage that uses a pre-engineered structural frame with a concrete foundation and translucent polycarbonate wall panels to bring daylight into the space. Saavedra said the recommended option “gives us a functional building with a full department, in a relatively, smaller area” and preserves the option to add a bus-wash later. The architect and county-contracted designer Randy Darnell of CCS said the project balances contemporary aesthetics and energy performance with the county’s modest budget. Darnell told the board he and his team would provide recommended budgets, options and a bidding strategy by next week. Why it matters: County staff told the committee the capital…