Owner's rep reports ARPA-funded projects on track; asbestos testing and soils work could affect schedules

Oklahoma County's owner's representative updated the infrastructure advisory board and the PBA advisory board on the status of several ARPA-funded projects, reporting steady progress while warning that asbestos testing and site soils recommendations could alter parts of the schedule and cost.

"We're expecting a 12/01/2026 completion by KONE in all respects," the owner's representative said about elevator work tied to the ARPA scope. The representative said elevator drawings are complete and equipment is ordered.

On a Fifth Floor renovation, the representative said the project remains on track for February 2026 but that additional asbestos abatement discovered during demolition will be handled by a unit-price amendment rather than a change order. He said one closet is being prepped to serve as a credit-card-machine room and that the credit-card vendor requires dedicated hard internet lines.

An abatement specialist, identified in the meeting as Chris, described asbestos testing procedures and results on a common wall slated for removal. Chris said initial opinion testing suggested higher asbestos presence but that point-counting (a more exact method) returned three samples of 0.75%, 1.0% and 1.25%. "That is so close, I'm gonna get in touch with the Department of Labor, who is the governing body," Chris said; staff said they planned that call the same day to seek a waiver or clarification.

The owner's representative said geotechnical testing for a behavioral health services site had identified poor soils and that Standard Engineering would provide a final plan this week; a unit price to replace unsuitable soils is already in the contract. On the existing jail HVAC, staff reported the retrofit is more than 50% complete and aiming for an August finish, potentially one to two months ahead of contract requirements.

During the PBA advisory session, staff reported progress on the ICB exterior work and said a live camera at Robert S. Kerr and Harvey shows daily progress. One remaining ICB window belongs to a small treasurer's records storage area; staff said they had reached an agreement on where those records will be moved so the contractor can remove the window.

The board received the owner's rep report by voice vote. Staff cautioned that asbestos or soils findings may create unit-price amendments or extended general conditions that could alter schedules, but that all projects remain within ARPA timing requirements to date.