Commission debates $6.08 million employee housing estimate; members urge lower-cost options

Commissioners spent substantial time on an airport capital request for employee housing that includes a townhouse phase estimated in the packet at $6,080,000. Nancy Smith, airport manager, presented the estimate received from CHA; commissioners repeatedly questioned why the estimated cost was so high for the proposed unit and sought alternatives.

One commissioner said the figure equated to about "a million dollars a bedroom" and urged staff to seek modular or "cookie-cutter" duplex plans that would lower the per-unit cost. Commissioners also discussed the Office of the Building Manager (OBM) or owner's project manager fees, which transcript remarks placed at roughly $1.2 million on top of the construction estimate and which several commissioners described as high compared with their experience.

Commission members said the capital program committee (CAPCOM) previously challenged the airport on similar figures and that CAPCOM support would be difficult at the $6-million level. Commissioners asked staff to produce refined designs and alternative pricing, including modular duplex options and a simple three-bedroom configuration, to produce more realistic bid-ready numbers for CAPCOM and the finance director. One commissioner suggested additional local outreach to builders about DCAM certification so local contractors could bid on municipal projects when the market permits.

No formal vote on the housing request occurred at the meeting; commissioners directed staff to revisit the design and cost estimates and return with revised options before submitting the request to CAPCOM.