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Kootenai County justice building on schedule as contractors revert to wood doors; pews for exterior hallways proposed
Summary
County project manager said the justice building remains on schedule; laminate doors will be replaced with wood at no extra cost, and staff are evaluating fixed pews for exterior courtroom hallways after bailiffs requested additional seating priced at about $30,000.
The Kootenai County commissioners were told March 18 that construction of the county’s new justice building remains on schedule, but the project team is addressing two logistics items: doors and seating outside courtrooms.
David Mendez, a representative of Turner, Townsend and Harry, told the commissioners the project team originally planned laminate doors but has reverted to wood doors because of delivery issues and that the change will not increase cost. “As it turns out they are having delivery schedule issues and they’re going back to wood like we wanted in the first place at no additional cost,” Mendez said. He added the furniture vendor will provide a price quote for FF&E by Wednesday to place the item on the next week’s agenda.
The other open item concerns seating in the exterior hallways that serve the courtrooms. Mendez said judges, attorneys and bailiffs raised the need for fixed seating for jury selection and between cases. The contractor quoted roughly $30,000 to build eight to a dozen fixed pews sized to fit wall space. Mendez said staff are asking furniture vendors whether a similar fixed solution can be provided to avoid movable seating that could be lifted or dragged.
Jeff Waller, an architect on the project, said the drawings did not show hallway seating and that the architecture team had assumed those items would be part of the FF&E scope. “The architects said they assumed that was going to be part of the FF and E furnishings, but there was nothing rendered on the drawings for that to even kind of cue us in,” Waller said. Commissioners discussed whether the cost should come from the FF&E budget or another source and asked staff to return with options.
No formal vote or change order was recorded during the meeting. Commissioners asked that the furniture pricing and a recommended procurement approach be returned for consideration at the next meeting so the county can finalize seating and the FF&E package.
More routine construction updates reported at the meeting were that contingencies have not materially changed and that staff expect the furniture quote next Wednesday. The meeting transcript recorded no further schedule delays.
