Hamblen County justice center on track for Aug. 22 substantial completion; commissioners press contractor on finishes

Burwell Construction told the Hamblen County Justice Center Public Safety Committee on July 14 that the Justice Center project is near completion and is being tracked for substantial completion on Aug. 22, with a two-month period afterward for final punch-list work and onboarding.

The project’s construction manager, Jaren Dolwalter of Burwell Construction, said the project’s contractual value remains $95,038,489.11 and that recent paperwork posted the job at 99.58% complete if the current payout is approved. “We are tracking for a substantial completion of August 22,” Dolwalter said, and added there is a two-month window after that to finalize remaining punch-list items and train county staff before occupancy, possibly pushing some activity into November if county preparations require it.

County commissioners pressed Dolwalter and county staff on several visible finish issues observed during a walkthrough last week. “For a $105,000,000, I don't think the taxpayers ought to have to accept it,” said Commissioner Green, who described pitted and rough cast wall finishes, floor drops and scratches on courtroom benches. Green asked who would be responsible for repairs; Dolwalter and county staff said nothing in the project has been accepted and contractor repairs and punch-list corrections remain the contractor’s responsibility.

Dolwalter outlined remaining technical and systems work: security controls and intercoms are being programmed and tested; AV start-up and verification will begin shortly; HVAC commissioning and smoke-purge testing are underway, with a second round of smoke-purge testing scheduled for the week of the 20th; and final test balances are being prepared. He also said site teams have already issued notices to the concrete subcontractor to inspect and propose fixes for pitting and other surface issues.

Committee members asked about timelines for specific fixes and final verification. Dolwalter said some items may be corrected before substantial completion and others during the two-month final period, depending on lead times for replacement parts or assemblies. County staff and the project’s architect will continue section-by-section final reviews; county representatives, the architect and Burwell will perform punch-list walkthroughs before acceptance.

County officials also identified Dolwalter as the point of contact for change orders that reach the commission for approval. Dolwalter and the construction manager role were described by county leadership as the initial review point for change orders before any proposal reaches the commission.

The committee did not take formal action; county staff and Burwell will continue testing and walkthroughs, and commissioners said they expect a further update as the Aug. 22 substantial completion target approaches.