Allegany County officials on May 7 heard plans from Hunt Engineers for a new Department of Public Works complex at the Friendship site, with a projected construction cost of about $22,000,000 and an estimated all-in total near $28,000,800. Mike Salvain, project manager with Hunt Engineers, presented the design, schedule and cost breakdown to the county’s Department of Public Works meeting chaired by Dwight Fenton.

The proposal would replace an aging South Branch maintenance compound composed of multiple small buildings and laydown areas with a single main office and maintenance building, three outbuildings for vehicle and equipment storage, a fuel island and secured perimeter. The project aims to meet current building and ADA codes, improve energy efficiency and create modern training and shop space for county workers.

“Construction cost, total construction cost is, about 22,000,000,” Salvain said during the presentation. He described a layout with an office and administrative wing, a larger high-bay shop area with a mezzanine for HVAC and tire storage, separate fabric-covered large-truck storage (included as part of the $22 million estimate) and a training room that the county could lock off for outside use.

County staff and legislators questioned capacity and site utilities. The training room was described as seating about 50 people and the main parking area as 54 spots. Tom, a county staff member, said the plan would move Division 3 from Angelica into the rehabilitated main shop on the existing Friendship site and tear down the non-viable structures. Tom also noted a previously approved capital resolution that set aside $1,000,000 for the project and that about $500,000 of that remains.

Officials raised sewer and water infrastructure as a key dependency. County staff reported soils on site are not favorable for an on-site septic system and that a sewage treatment plant will likely be required; the plant was estimated in the meeting at roughly $3,500,000 to $4,000,000. Staff said the county has begun the legal and financing steps to form water and sewer districts but cautioned those processes are lengthy and require outside counsel.

Schedule and financing were central to the discussion. Hunt Engineers plans to submit contract documents to state reviewers, bid the four prime contracts in mid-July with a five-week bid period, and open bids in late August. Salvain said the county would seek construction-manager proposals shortly after bids are opened and expects to bring contract-award recommendations to the board on Sept. 3, with anticipated mobilization in October or November. “It’s about an 18-month construction period. So, we’re looking at substantial completion, mid 2027,” Salvain said.

County officials discussed borrowing options and timing. Staff advised referring financing questions to the county’s Ways and Means committee and noted a possible strategy of using short-term BANs (bond anticipation notes) before permanent bonding so construction payments can begin without overlapping with a large existing jail bond payment. One staff member warned that formal borrowing and bond counsel processes typically take at least two months.

Other details noted during the presentation: the large-truck storage building is planned as a fabric structure and was estimated at about $1,000,000 within the $22 million; the team intends to perform a full code review before bidding to limit change orders; the design includes a wash bay with gas detection and explosion-proof fixtures intended to allow maintenance of propane buses; and the site leaves space for a shared transit fuel farm if that project moves forward.

No formal vote to approve construction, to advertise bids or to issue permits was recorded at the meeting. Staff outlined three recommended next approvals for the board to consider later: endorsement to move the plan forward, authorization to solicit bids, and permission to obtain required permits. The board recessed at the end of the presentation to continue those matters at a later meeting.

The presentation built on a two-year building-condition survey of county properties and a previous, smaller Friendship-site proposal that was estimated at roughly $5,000,000 but was dropped because of site-grade and expansion limitations. If the county proceeds, staff said the project will require final decisions on funding structure, sewer-district formation and timely board action when contract awards are presented because bids are only valid for a limited period.

The new DPW complex would affect county employees who use the maintenance and training spaces and could enable public sewer service for additional development around the Friendship site if the county’s sewer district plan proceeds. County staff said they will advance the design review, state submission and bid schedule and bring financing and award recommendations to Ways and Means and the full legislature in the coming months.