Alliance presents predesign plan for Badura Nursery expansion to State Designer Selection Board

The State Designer Selection Board heard a presentation on March 18 from the Alliance design team on predesign work for the Badura Nursery Expansion Project, a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources facility project the presenter said supports reforestation and related seedling production across the state.

Amber Sausen, project manager for Alliance, told the board the team is "just so passionate about the importance of this project," noting the nursery produces seedlings and seeds used for reforestation and that the design will support the DNR's mission. She said the project will follow Minnesota B3 guidelines using the small-building method because the work area is under 20,000 square feet.

The presentation laid out the predesign approach Alliance proposed: gather operational data, diagram site adjacencies and flows, produce options, and arrive at a preferred layout and budget in a five-and-a-half-month predesign phase. "Predesign can be messy, but this is the phase where you can dream and think about aspirations for the project," Anna Pravanata, the Alliance designer and architect, told the board.

Alliance emphasized operational flow as central to the design. Pravanata and team members described mapping vehicle routes, visitor circulation and material flows, and capturing biosecurity separations used on other agricultural projects. Adam Zwach, Alliance's civil engineer from Northland Consulting Engineers, said truck and equipment maneuvering is key to efficient product movement and that the team will use vehicle-tracking software to check turning radii and clearance.

The team outlined site infrastructure issues that will require assessment in predesign. Alliance identified the existing septic system east of the office building as "believed to be in conforming condition" but said it will evaluate whether expansion or multiple smaller systems are needed to serve the campus. On stormwater, Alliance said the project will comply with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's construction stormwater permit and B3 guidelines and noted an existing underground stormwater tank between the packing house and refrigerated storage.

Sustainability and energy targets were a focal point. Sausen said Bedura (Badura) is pursuing aggressive energy goals; the presentation noted a 90% reduction target for certain project loads and discussed the need to consider renewables such as on-site photovoltaics early in design. Sausen also said Minnesota's radon map places Hubbard County in Zone 1 and "which definitely means we need a radon system," describing it as a B3 requirement.

Alliance walked the board through early budget assumptions tied to the agency's $10,000,000 project ceiling. The team said typical soft costs (permits, surveys, geotechnical and design fees) can run 25% to 30% of total project cost and that equipment could be 5% to 10%, leaving the remaining funds as a hard-construction budget to be optimized. Sausen said Alliance plans multiple cost-estimate touchpoints and to identify alternates by the 50% construction documents milestone so the DNR can prioritize scope if bids exceed the budget.

Board members asked detailed operational and technical questions. Brian (agency staff) pressed Alliance on cost-control strategies to keep the project under the $10 million limit; Sausen described early and repeated cost estimating and use of alternates. A board member identified as Scott asked about mechanical and electrical systems for an older facility with multiple additions; Alliance responded that a key early task is to inventory what systems "stay and what goes" and to balance advanced performance with long-term maintainability.

Alliance described how it would collaborate with nursery staff to document specialized equipment and operations. Sausen and Pravanata said Alliance expects to work closely with DNR staff and any on-site equipment "thinkers" to draw and right-size equipment layouts; the presentation noted some nursery equipment is modified or unique and will need early clarification to set space and budget requirements.

On schedule, Alliance said it expects a five-and-a-half-month predesign, followed by a pause for cultural-resources and Department of Administration review, with schematic and later design work resuming in 2026. Sausen emphasized construction phasing and coordination to keep the nursery operational throughout construction.

The board did not take a formal vote at the meeting. Chair Bill Beyer closed the interview phase and gave agency staff time to consult; Brian and another agency representative asked for a short offline discussion and the board recessed to deliberate. Beyer said the board would notify the team "today or tomorrow."