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Architect outlines phased renovation plan for Beulah facility; commissioners request cost estimates
Summary
Architect James Devine presented a floorplan and renovation approach for the county-owned building in Beulah, recommending phased work; commissioners asked for an opinion of probable cost and alternative bid options to evaluate whether the county should hire a general contractor or pursue a design-build approach.
An architect working with J2 Studio presented a schematic renovation plan for the county-owned building in Beulah and the Mercer County Board of Commissioners asked for cost estimates and alternate bid pricing to inform a go/no-go decision.
James Devine of J2 Studio of Bismarck walked commissioners through proposed changes to the main floor, including conversion of existing bedrooms into offices, creation of an accessible restroom pair to meet code, converting part of an attached shop into a larger conference room and adding office spaces. Devine said the upper floor was left for possible future use and that the schematic drawings were intended to support phased work or alternate-bid approaches.
Why it matters: The plan aims to consolidate county functions, reduce long-term rental costs and provide heated bay space that could serve county road maintenance or search-and-rescue storage. Commissioners discussed lifecycle and maintenance costs of renovating an older, roughly 10,000-square-foot structure versus building new.
Board direction: Commissioners did not approve construction today. Instead they asked the architect to provide a written opinion of probable cost (including alternates for exterior work and phased construction) and to dimension plans so a building owner or contractor can price the work. Devine said he would provide the opinion of probable cost later that week so the board could include cost figures at its next meeting.
Key technical points from presentation: the design would • close off two garage doors and install windows to create an interior conference space; • reconfigure interior partitions to create accessible restrooms and office spaces on the main floor to avoid elevator requirements; and • leave potential future improvements to the upper floor as alternates to control immediate costs.
Next steps: Staff will circulate Devine’s opinion of probable cost to commissioners when available and place cost estimates on an upcoming agenda. Commissioners signaled support for pursuing estimates and a comparison of bidding strategies (general contractor oversight vs. owner-driven build-to-spec).
