Cowlitz County moves forward on Hall of Justice HVAC, electrical modernization project

Lauren, a Millig Design Build representative, told the Cowlitz County Board of Commissioners on Feb. 5 that the county’s Hall of Justice (HOJ) requires comprehensive mechanical and electrical upgrades to address failing equipment, outdated controls and high operating costs. “It costs over $200,000 a year just to pay for electricity in alone in that building,” Lauren said, and noted the facility still uses original 1973 pneumatic controls with a Siemens digital overlay that Millig described as “very outdated.”

The presentation summarized work Millig has completed during the design phase and the county’s next steps. Millig said the county entered a contract for design work last summer through the Washington Department of Enterprise Services (DES) and that the firm operates as a design‑build contractor under an open‑book, cost‑plus approach with a guaranteed maximum price. Lauren said bidding is planned for February and construction is targeted to begin in September or October 2025.

Why it matters: Millig and county staff described a long list of safety, reliability and comfort problems: seized hydronic pumps, failed dampers, clogged reheat coils, a single 50‑year‑old air handler serving much of…