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County to apply for FY24 BRIC grant for failing courthouse tunnel; estimated cost about $1M–$1.1M
Summary
Pennington County commissioners approved sending an FY24 BRIC grant application to the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management for stabilization and repair of the courthouse tunnel, which has bowed and failing walls; county staff estimate $1.0–1.1 million project cost and reported temporary bracing already installed.
Pennington County on Feb. 18 approved submission of an FY24 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant application to the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management to repair structural failures in the courthouse tunnel that carries mechanical, electrical and plumbing infrastructure under the original 1922 courthouse.
Buildings and Grounds Director Davis Purcell gave a project overview and showed photographs of bowed, failing walls on the south and west tunnel sections and temporary bracing installed after engineering inspections. Purcell said Albertson Engineering prepared specifications for temporary bracing and that RCS Construction completed temporary stabilization last year. He said the county has 95% construction documents ready and has set aside about $1 million in the accumulated building fund, but estimates total project cost may come to $1.0–$1.1 million when structural, electrical and plumbing work are included.
Grant manager Jennifer Williams Curl told commissioners she had spoken with the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management and was told the state has not been informed that pending executive orders would halt BRIC grant awards; she said the BRIC program funds are tied to Congressional appropriations and that the state planned to continue processing grant applications.
Commissioner discussion noted the tunnel is a foundation element of the courthouse and that work will require trenching at exterior walls and removal of shrubbery; Purcell said the county’s temporary bracing buys time but is not a permanent solution. Commissioners voted to approve sending the grant application along with a local-match commitment letter.
Why it matters: The tunnel supports critical courthouse systems; failing walls pose a risk of collapse and impede access for MEP repairs. A BRIC award would reduce the county’s share of the cost; Purcell said the structural portion alone was estimated around $800,000 with electrical and plumbing adding $200,000–$300,000.
Next steps: Staff will submit the grant application and local-match letter to the South Dakota Office of Emergency Management as authorized; the county will pursue grant funding while retaining approximately $1 million in the building fund for the project.
